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Chirality is a term that describes the lack of mirror symmetry in an object. In other words, chiral objects cannot be superposed on their mirror images. For example, our feet are chiral, as the mirror image of the left foot, the right foot, cannot be superposed on the left foot.
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In the macroscopic world, objects that are large enough to be seen by the naked eye follow the rules of classical physics. A billiard ball moving on a table will behave like a particle; it will continue traveling in a straight line unless it collides with another ball, or it is acted on by some other force, such as friction. The ball has a well-defined position and velocity or well-defined momentum, p = mv, which is defined by mass m and velocity v at any given moment. This is the typical...
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Observing chiral superfluid order by matter-wave interference.

T Kock1, M Ölschläger1, A Ewerbeck1

  • 1Institut für Laser-Physik, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany.

Physical Review Letters
|April 4, 2015
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

We observed chiral order in Bose-Einstein condensates within optical lattices, demonstrating broken time-reversal symmetry. This quantum matter research opens new avenues using orbital degrees of freedom.

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Area of Science:

  • Quantum physics
  • Atomic physics
  • Condensed matter physics

Background:

  • Time-reversal symmetry breaking and chiral order are fundamental in nature.
  • Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) in optical lattices offer a controllable platform for studying quantum phenomena.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To demonstrate the spontaneous formation of chiral order in atoms Bose-Einstein condensed in the second Bloch band of an optical lattice.
  • To unambiguously show the breaking of time-reversal symmetry in this system.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a matter-wave interference technique.
  • Directly observed phase properties of the superfluid order parameter.
  • Reconstructed spatial geometry of low-energy excitations.

Main Results:

  • Provided an unambiguous demonstration of chiral order formation in a BEC.
  • Observed domains with different chirality, linked to excitations.
  • Showcased the role of orbital degrees of freedom.

Conclusions:

  • This work establishes a new regime for optical lattice experiments.
  • Orbital degrees of freedom are crucial for exotic quantum matter formation.
  • The findings have implications for understanding phenomena analogous to electronic systems.