Ferrofluidity in a two-component dipolar Bose-Einstein condensate

Phys Rev Lett. 2009 Jun 12;102(23):230403. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.230403. Epub 2009 Jun 8.

Abstract

It is shown that the interface in a two-component Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) with a dipole-dipole interaction spontaneously develops patterns similar to those formed in a ferrofluid. Hexagonal, labyrinthine, solitonlike structures, and hysteretic behavior are numerically demonstrated. Superflow is found to circulate around the hexagonal pattern at rest, offering evidence of supersolidity. The system sustains persistent current with a vortex line pinned by the hexagonal pattern. These phenomena may be realized using a 52Cr BEC.