Quantum tunneling of a vortex between two pinning potentials.

Area of Science:

• Atomic physics
• Quantum mechanics
• Condensed matter physics

Background:

• Atomic Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) exhibit quantized vortices.
• Vortices can be trapped by pinning potentials within the condensate.
• Understanding vortex dynamics is crucial for controlling BEC properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the phenomenon of vortex tunneling between pinning potentials in atomic Bose-Einstein condensates.
• To develop a theoretical model for calculating vortex tunneling rates.
• To compare theoretical predictions with experimental feasibility and numerical simulations.

Main Methods:

• Phenomenological modeling of vortices as charged particles in an inhomogeneous magnetic field.
• Calculation of vortex tunneling rates based on this model.
• Comparison of theoretical results with numerical simulations using stochastic c-field theory.

Main Results:

• Vortex tunneling between pinning potentials occurs on a timescale of approximately 1 second under typical experimental conditions.
• The phenomenological model provides results that closely agree with numerical simulations.
• The calculated tunneling rates suggest experimental detectability.

Conclusions:

• Vortex tunneling in atomic Bose-Einstein condensates is a feasible phenomenon for experimental observation.
• The charged particle analogy in an inhomogeneous magnetic field is a valid approach for modeling vortex tunneling.
• The findings contribute to the understanding and control of vortex dynamics in quantum systems.