Effective field theory for spinor dipolar Bose Einstein condensates

We show that the effective theory of long wavelength low energy behavior of a dipolar Bose-Einstein condensate(BEC) with large dipole moments (treated as a classical spin) can be modeled using an extended Non-linear sigma model (NLSM) like energy functional with an additional non-local term that represents long ranged anisotropic dipole-dipole interaction. Minimizing this effective energy functional we calculate the density and spin-profile of the dipolar Bose-Einstein condensate in the mean-field regime for various trapping geometries. The resulting configurations show strong intertwining between the spin and mass density of the condensate, transfer between spin and orbital angular momentum in the form of Einstein-de Hass effect, and novel topological properties. We have also described the theoretical framework in which the collective excitations around these mean field solutions can be studied and discuss some examples qualitatively.Comment: Latex + 3 eps figures, accepted for publication in a special issue of EPJB on "Novel Quantum Phases and Mesoscopic Physics in Quantum Gases

Topological Quantum Computing with p-Wave Superfluid Vortices

It is shown that Majorana fermions trapped in three vortices in a p-wave superfluid form a qubit in a topological quantum computing (TQC). Several similar ideas have already been proposed: Ivanov [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 86}, 268 (2001)] and Zhang {\it et al.} [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 99}, 220502 (2007)] have proposed schemes in which a qubit is implemented with two and four Majorana fermions, respectively, where a qubit operation is performed by exchanging the positions of Majorana fermions. The set of gates thus obtained is a discrete subset of the relevant unitary group. We propose, in this paper, a new scheme, where three Majorana fermions form a qubit. We show that continuous 1-qubit gate operations are possible by exchanging the positions of Majorana fermions complemented with dynamical phase change. 2-qubit gates are realized through the use of the coupling between Majorana fermions of different qubits.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures. Two-qubit gate implementation is added

Topological Structure of a Vortex in Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov State

We find theoretically that the vortex core in the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) state is quite different from the ordinary core by a simple topological reason. The intersection point of a vortex and nodal plane of the FFLO state empties the excess spins. This leads to observable consequences in the spatial structure of the spontaneous magnetization. We analyze this topological structure based on the low lying excitation spectrum by solving microscopic Bogoliubov-de Gennes equation to clarify its physical origin.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

E1-Like Activating Enzyme Atg7 Is Preferentially Sequestered into p62 Aggregates via Its Interaction with LC3-I

p62 is constitutively degraded by autophagy via its interaction with LC3. However, the interaction of p62 with LC3 species in the context of the LC3 lipidation process is not specified. Further, the p62-mediated protein aggregation's effect on autophagy is unclear. We systemically analyzed the interactions of p62 with all known Atg proteins involved in LC3 lipidation. We find that p62 does not interact with LC3 at the stages when it is being processed by Atg4B or when it is complexed or conjugated with Atg3. p62 does interact with LC3-I and LC3-I:Atg7 complex and is preferentially recruited by LC3-II species under autophagic stimulation. Given that Atg4B, Atg3 and LC3-Atg3 are indispensable for LC3-II conversion, our study reveals a protective mechanism for Atg4B, Atg3 and LC3-Atg3 conjugate from being inappropriately sequestered into p62 aggregates. Our findings imply that p62 could potentially impair autophagy by negatively affecting LC3 lipidation and contribute to the development of protein aggregate diseases. © 2013 Gao et al

Spin textures in condensates with large dipole moments

We have solved numerically the ground states of a Bose-Einstein condensate in the presence of dipolar interparticle forces using a semiclassical approach. Our motivation is to model, in particular, the spontaneous spin textures emerging in quantum gases with large dipole moments, such as 52Cr or Dy condensates, or ultracold gases consisting of polar molecules. For a pancake-shaped harmonic (optical) potential, we present the ground state phase diagram spanned by the strength of the nonlinear coupling and dipolar interactions. In an elongated harmonic potential, we observe a novel helical spin texture. The textures calculated according to the semiclassical model in the absence of external polarizing fields are predominantly analogous to previously reported results for a ferromagnetic F = 1 spinor Bose-Einstein condensate, suggesting that the spin textures arising from the dipolar forces are largely independent of the value of the quantum number F or the origin of the dipolar interactions.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figure

Generic Phase Diagram of Fermion Superfluids with Population Imbalance

It is shown by microscopic calculations for trapped imbalanced Fermi superfluids that the gap function has always sign changes, i.e., the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) state like, up to a critical imbalance $P_c$, beyond which normal state becomes stable, at temperature T=0. A phase diagram is constructed in $T$ vs $P$, where the BCS state without sign change is stable only at $T\neq 0$. We reproduce the observed bimodality in the density profile to identify its origin and evaluate $P_c$ as functions of $T$ and the coupling strength. These dependencies match with the recent experiments.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, replaced by the version to appear in PR

Majorana bound state in rotating superfluid 3He-A between parallel plates

A concrete and experimentally feasible example for testing the putative Majorana zero energy state bound in a vortex is theoretically proposed for a parallel plate geometry of superfluid $^3$He-A phase. We examine the experimental setup in connection with ongoing rotating cryostat experiments. The theoretical analysis is based on the well-established Ginzburg--Landau functional, supplemented by microscopic calculations of the Bogoliubov--de Gennes equation, both of which allow the precise location of the parameter regions of the Majorana state to be found in realistic situations.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Coreless and singular vortex lattices in rotating spinor Bose-Einstein condensates

We theoretically investigate vortex-lattice phases of rotating spinor Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC) with the ferromagnetic spin-interaction by numerically solving the Gross-Pitaevskii equation. The spinor BEC under slow rotation can sustain a rich variety of exotic vortices due to the multi-component order parameters, such as the Mermin-Ho and Anderson-Toulouse coreless vortices (the 2-dimensional skyrmion and meron) and the non-axisymmetric vortices with the sifting vortex cores. Here, we present the spin texture of various vortex-lattice states at higher rotation rates and in the presence of the external magnetic field. In addition, the vortex phase diagram is constructed in the plane by the total magnetization $M$ and the external rotation frequency $\Omega$ by comparing the free energies of possible vortices. It is shown that the vortex phase diagram in a $M$-$\Omega$ plane may be divided into two categories; (i) the coreless vortex lattice formed by the several types of Mermin-Ho vortices and (ii) the vortex lattice filling in the cores with the pure polar (antiferromagnetic) state. In particular, it is found that the type-(ii) state forms the composite lattices of coreless and polar-core vortices. The difference between the type-(i) and type-(ii) results from the existence of the singularity of the spin textures, which may be experimentally confirmed by the spin imaging within polarized light recently proposed by Carusotto and Mueller. We also discussed on the stability of triangular and square lattice states for rapidly rotating condensates.Comment: to be published in Phys. Rev.

Direct Imaging of Spatially Modulated Superfluid Phases in Atomic Fermion Systems

It is proposed that the spatially modulated superfluid phase, or the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) state could be observed in resonant Fermion atomic condensates which are realized recently. We examine optimal experimental setups to achieve it by solving Bogoliubov-de Gennes equation both for idealized one-dimensional and realistic three-dimensional cases. The spontaneous modulation of this superfluid is shown to be directly imaged as the density profiles either by optical absorption or by Stern-Gerlach experiments.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure