Observation of vortex pinning in Bose-Einstein condensates.
We report the observation of vortex pinning in rotating gaseous Bose-Einstein condensates. Vortices are pinned to columnar pinning sites created by a corotating optical lattice superimposed on the rotating Bose-Einstein condensates. We study the effects of two types of optical lattice: triangular and square. In both geometries we see an orientation locking between the vortex and the optical lattices. At sufficient intensity the square optical lattice induces a structural crossover in the vortex lattice.
Tung
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JILA, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440, USA.
Schweikhard
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Cornell
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