Spin-nematic order in antiferromagnetic spinor condensates

T. Zibold, V. Corre, C. Frapolli, A. Invernizzi, J. Dalibard, and F. Gerbier
Phys. Rev. A 93, 023614 – Published 10 February 2016

Abstract

Large spin systems can exhibit unconventional types of magnetic ordering, different from the ferromagnetic or Néel-like antiferromagnetic order commonly found in spin 1/2 systems. Spin-nematic phases, for instance, do not break time-reversal invariance, and their magnetic order parameter is characterized by a second-rank tensor with the symmetry of an ellipsoid. Here we show direct experimental evidence of spin-nematic ordering in a spin 1 Bose-Einstein condensate of sodium atoms with antiferromagnetic interactions. In a mean field description this order is enforced by locking the relative phase between spin components. We reveal this mechanism by studying the spin noise after a spin rotation, which is shown to contain information hidden when looking only at averages. The method should be applicable to high-spin systems in order to reveal complex magnetic phases.

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  • Received 18 June 2015
  • Revised 26 November 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.93.023614

©2016 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Atomic, Molecular & Optical

Authors & Affiliations

T. Zibold, V. Corre, C. Frapolli, A. Invernizzi, J. Dalibard, and F. Gerbier*

  • Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, Collège de France, CNRS, ENS-PSL Research University, UPMC-Sorbonne Universités, 11 place Marcelin Berthelot, 75005 Paris

  • *fabrice.gerbier@lkb.ens.fr

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Issue

Vol. 93, Iss. 2 — February 2016

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