Mean-Field Dynamics of Spin-Orbit Coupled Bose-Einstein Condensates

作者：Zhang, Yongping; Mao, Li; Zhang, Chuanwei^*

来源：Physical Review Letters, 2012, 108(3): 035302.

DOI：10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.035302

Spin-orbit coupling (SOC), the interaction between the spin and momentum of a quantum particle, is crucial for many important condensed matter phenomena. The recent experimental realization of SOC in neutral bosonic cold atoms provides a new and ideal platform for investigating spin-orbit coupled quantum many-body physics. In this Letter, we derive a generic Gross-Pitaevskii equation as the starting point for the study of many-body dynamics in spin-orbit coupled Bose-Einstein condensates. We show that different laser setups for realizing the same SOC may lead to different mean-field dynamics. Various ground state phases (stripe, phase separation, etc.) of the condensate are found in different parameter regions. A new oscillation period induced by the SOC, similar to the Zitterbewegung oscillation, is found in the center-of-mass motion of the condensate.

• 出版日期2012-1-19