Abstract:
Spin-orbit coupling has given rise to many novel physical properties of physical systems, from single atoms (e.g., fine structure) to solid materials (e.g., topological insulators). Recent experimental advances has made it possible to engineer spin-orbit coupling for neutral atoms, namely, a coupling between the spin of the atom and its center of mass momentum, using optical means. This has led to many new discoveries in the field of Bose-Einstein condensation with spin-orbit interaction. In this talk, I shall first discuss some unique properties of such spin-orbit coupled Bose gases and will in particular focus on the Josephson effect in the presence of the new spin degrees of freedom.