Stable Skyrmions in spinor condensates

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that stable Skyrmions can exist in three-dimensional spinor condensates when specific density profiles are enforced, challenging previous beliefs about their instability in free space.

Contribution

It introduces conditions under which Skyrmions can be stabilized in three-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensates, providing new insights into topological defect stability.

Findings

Skyrmions can be stabilized in 3D condensates with specific density profiles

A sufficient condition for Skyrmion existence is formulated and exemplified

Results are relevant for Bose-Einstein condensates in Rb atoms

Abstract

Globally symmetric spinor condensates in free space are argued not to support stable topological defects in either two or three dimensions. In the latter case, however, we show that a topological Skyrmion can be stabilized by forcing it to adopt certain density profiles. A sufficient condition for the existence of Skyrmion solutions in three dimensions is formulated and illustrated in simple examples. Our results pertain to Bose-Einstein condensation in Rb.