Issue |
EPL
Volume 110, Number 5, June 2015
|
|
---|---|---|
Article Number | 56001 | |
Number of page(s) | 6 | |
Section | Condensed Matter: Structural, Mechanical and Thermal Properties | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1209/0295-5075/110/56001 | |
Published online | 23 June 2015 |
Fate of the false vacuum: Towards realization with ultra-cold atoms
1 Institute of Natural and Mathematical Sciences and Centre for Theoretical Chemistry and Physics, Massey University - Auckland, New Zealand
2 Centre for Quantum and Optical Science, Swinburne University of Technology - Melbourne 3122, Australia
3 Dodd-Walls Centre for Photonic and Quantum Technologies, New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study, and Centre for Theoretical Chemistry and Physics, Massey University - Auckland, New Zealand
Received: 27 January 2015
Accepted: 1 June 2015
Quantum decay of a relativistic scalar field from a false vacuum is a fundamental idea in quantum field theory. It is relevant to models of the early Universe, where the nucleation of bubbles gives rise to an inflationary universe and the creation of matter. Here we propose a laboratory test using an experimental model of an ultra-cold spinor Bose gas. A false vacuum for the relative phase of two spin components, serving as the unstable scalar field, is generated by means of a modulated radio-frequency coupling of the spin components. Numerical simulations demonstrate the spontaneous formation of true vacuum bubbles with realistic parameters and time-scales.
PACS: 67.85.De – Dynamic properties of condensates; excitations, and superfluid flow / 03.75.Mn – Multicomponent condensates; spinor condensates / 98.80.Cq – Particle-theory and field-theory models of the early Universe (including cosmic pancakes, cosmic strings, chaotic phenomena, inflationary universe, etc.)
© EPLA, 2015
Current usage metrics show cumulative count of Article Views (full-text article views including HTML views, PDF and ePub downloads, according to the available data) and Abstracts Views on Vision4Press platform.
Data correspond to usage on the plateform after 2015. The current usage metrics is available 48-96 hours after online publication and is updated daily on week days.
Initial download of the metrics may take a while.