Vortex dynamics in superfluids governed by an interacting gauge theory

Butera, S. , Valiente, M. and Öhberg, P. (2016) Vortex dynamics in superfluids governed by an interacting gauge theory. New Journal of Physics, 18(August), 085001. (doi: 10.1088/1367-2630/18/8/085001)

Abstract

We study the dynamics of a vortex in a quasi two-dimensional Bose gas consisting of light-matter coupled atoms forming two-component pseudo spins. The gas is subject to a density dependent gauge potential, hence governed by an interacting gauge theory, which stems from a collisionally induced detuning between the incident laser frequency and the atomic energy levels. This provides a back-action between the synthetic gauge potential and the matter field. A Lagrangian approach is used to derive an expression for the force acting on a vortex in such a gas. We discuss the similarities between this force and the one predicted by Iordanskii, Lifshitz and Pitaevskii when scattering between a superfluid vortex and the thermal component is taken into account.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: SB acknowledges support from the EPSRC CM-CDT Grant No. EP/G03673X/1, MV and PÖ acknowledge support from EPSRC EP/J001392/1 and EP/M024636/1.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Butera, Dr Salvatore
• Authors: Butera, S., Valiente, M., and Öhberg, P.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Physics and Astronomy
• Journal Name: New Journal of Physics
• Publisher: IOP Publishing
• ISSN: 1367-2630
• ISSN (Online): 1367-2630
• Published Online: 02 August 2016
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2016 IOP Publishing Ltd and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft
• First Published: First published in New Journal of Physics 18(August): 085001
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License