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 Physics at Virginia

"New Physics in Multicomponent Ultracold Atomic Gases"


Ryan Barnett , Joint Quantum Institute
[Host: Austen Lamacraft]
ABSTRACT:
Bose-Einstein Condensation in multicomponent systems often exhibits physics which goes beyond traditional condensed matter paradigms due to the extra degrees of freedom. Examples of multicomponent condensates include condensed mixtures of atoms or atoms with internal spin degrees of freedom. In this talk I will discuss examples of such multicomponent condensates focused on during my recent research. The first example I will consider is a rotating condensate composed of two types of atoms with different masses. I will discuss the structure of the vortex configurations for such mixtures, and argue the existence of a counterintuitive phase where the two superfluids and external drive all rotate at different rates. During the remainder of the talk I will focus on spinor condensates. In optical traps the macroscopic spin configuration is determined by the spin-exchange interaction. The resulting mean-field ground states have a variety of point-group symmetries. I will discuss a geometrical representation of the mean-field states of these systems, and will also describe how this method is useful for understanding the coherent spinor dynamics, collective excitations, and topological defects. I will next explain how the phenomenon of order-by-disorder from quantum magnetism is naturally exhibited in spin-two condensates. Finally, I will discuss the rich structure of the vortex lattices which can occur when spinor condensates are rotated.
Condensed Matter Seminar
Thursday, November 12, 2009
4:00 PM
Physics Building, Room 204
Note special time.
Note special room.

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