Engineering and revealing Dirac strings in spinor condensates

Journal Article · 13 June 2024 · Physical Review Research

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.6.023272 · OSTI ID:2372931

Xu, Gui-Sheng; Jain, Mudit; Zhou, Xiang-Fa; Guo, Guang-Can; Amin, Mustafa A.; Pu, Han ; Zhou, Zheng-Wei

Artificial monopoles have been engineered in various systems, yet there has been no systematic study of the singular vector potentials associated with the monopole field. We show that the Dirac string, the line singularity of the vector potential, can be engineered, manipulated, and made manifest in a spinor atomic condensate. We elucidate the connection among spin, orbital degrees of freedom, and the artificial gauge, and show that there exists a mapping between the vortex filament and the Dirac string. We also devise a proposal where preparing initial spin states with relevant symmetries can result in different vortex patterns, revealing an underlying correspondence between the internal spin states and the spherical vortex structures. Such a mapping also leads to a new way of constructing spherical Landau levels, and monopole harmonics. Our observation provides insights into the behavior of quantum matter possessing internal symmetries in curved spaces. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• Grant/Contract Number: SC0021619
• OSTI ID: 2372931
• Journal Information: Physical Review Research, Journal Name: Physical Review Research Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 6; ISSN PPRHAI; ISSN 2643-1564
• Publisher: American Physical SocietyCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English