2021/01/31 by Maximilian Sohmen, Claudia Politi, Lauritz Klaus +4
Physics and Astronomy · #Cold Atom Physics and Bose-Einstein Condensates #Condensed matter physics #Phase (matter) #Phase diagram #Physics #Physics of Superconductivity and Magnetism #Quantum mechanics #Quantum, superfluid, helium dynamics #Supersolid #cond-mat.quant-gas #physics.atom-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.126.233401
published as Phys. Rev. Lett. 126, 233401 (2021)
arxiv created 2021/03/22 · openalex publication_date 2021/06/07 · arxiv updated 2021/06/16 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06
In the short time since the first observation of supersolid states of ultracold dipolar atoms, substantial progress has been made in understanding the zero-temperature phase diagram and low-energy excitations of these systems. Less is known, however, about their finite-temperature properties, particularly relevant for supersolids formed by cooling through direct evaporation. Here, we explore this realm by characterizing the evaporative formation and subsequent decay of a dipolar supersolid by combining high-resolution in-trap imaging with time-of-flight observables. As our atomic system cools toward quantum degeneracy, it first undergoes a transition from thermal gas to a crystalline state with the appearance of periodic density modulation. This is followed by a transition to a supersolid state with the emergence of long-range phase coherence. Further, we explore the role of temperature in the development of the modulated state.