Experimental studies of equilibrium vortex properties in a Bose-condensed gas

Abstract

We characterize several equilibrium vortex effects in a rotating Bose-Einstein condensate. Specifically we attempt precision measurements of vortex lattice spacing and the vortex core size over a range of condensate densities and rotation rates. These measurements are supplemented by numerical simulations, and both experimental and numerical data are compared to theory predictions of Sheehy and Radzihovsky [17] (cond-mat/0402637) and Baym and Pethick [25] (cond-mat/0308325). Finally, we study the effect of the centrifugal weakening of the trapping spring constants on the critical temperature for quantum degeneracy and the effects of finite temperature on vortex contrast.

Fixed minor notational inconsistencies in figures. 12 pages, 8 figures