Multiple self-organized phases and spatial solitons in cold atoms mediated by optical feedback

Baio, Giuseppe and Robb, Gordon R. M. and Yao, Alison M. and Oppo, Gian-Luca and Ackemann, Thorsten (2021) Multiple self-organized phases and spatial solitons in cold atoms mediated by optical feedback. Physical Review Letters, 126 (20). 203201. ISSN 1079-7114 (https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.203201)

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Abstract

We study the transverse self-structuring of cold atomic clouds with effective atomic interactions mediated by a coherent driving beam retroreflected by means of a single mirror. The resulting self-structuring due to optomechanical forces is much richer than that of an effective-Kerr medium, displaying hexagonal, stripe and honeycomb phases depending on the interaction strength parametrized by the linear susceptibility. Phase domains are described by Ginzburg-Landau amplitude equations with real coefficients. In the stripe phase the system recovers inversion symmetry. Moreover, the subcritical character of the honeycomb phase allows for light-density feedback solitons functioning as self-sustained dark atomic traps with motion controlled by phase gradients in the driving beam.

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