Bose Condensates in TOP Traps Exhibit Circulating Superfluid Flows

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that Bose condensates in TOP traps can exhibit circulating superfluid flows induced solely by the trap's rotation, without external perturbations, due to quantum effects in spin-1 atoms.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method to induce superfluid circulation in Bose condensates using a rotating magnetic field in a TOP trap, linking quantum spin dynamics to superfluid vorticity.

Findings

Superfluid vorticity can be generated without external perturbations.

Rotating magnetic fields induce circulating flows in Bose condensates.

Quantum spin effects enable vortex formation in the trap.

Abstract

For spin one atoms localized in a quadrapole magnetic field gradient, the atoms may be impeded from spin flipping their way out from the center of the trap by the application of a rotating uniform magnetic field. From a quantum mechanical viewpoint, such a trap for a Bose condensate is equivalent to having a superfluid in a rotating bucket. Vorticity is then expected to be induced in the condensate fluid flow without the application of any further external perturbations.