Wright, K.
, Ramanathan, A.
, Muniz, S.
, Hill, W.
, Helmerson, K.
, Phillips, W.
, Campbell, G.
and Lobb, C.
(2011),
Superflow in a Toroidal Bose-Einstein Condensate: An Atom Circuit with a Tunable Weak Link, Physical Review Letters, [online], https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.130401
(Accessed October 22, 2025)
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Superflow in a Toroidal Bose-Einstein Condensate: An Atom Circuit with a Tunable Weak Link
Published
Author(s)
, , Sergio R. Muniz, Wendell Hill, Kristian Helmerson, , , Christopher Lobb
Abstract
We have created a long-lived (40 s) persistent current in a toroidal Bose-Einstein condensate held in an all-optical trap. A repulsive optical barrier creates a tunable weak link in the condensate circuit, which can affect the current around the loop. Superflow stops abruptly at a barrier strength such that the local flow velocity exceeds a critical velocity. The measured critical velocity is consistent with dissipation due to the creation of vortex-antivortex pairs. This system is the first realization of an elementary closed-loop atom circuit.Citation
Physical Review Letters
Volume
106
Pub Type
Journals
Download Paper
Keywords
Bose-Einstein condensate, critical velocity, persistent current, superfluid
Citation
Issues
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Created March 28, 2011, Updated November 10, 2018