Spontaneous creation of Kibble–Zurek solitons in a Bose–Einstein condensate

When a system crosses a second-order phase transition on a finite timescale, spontaneous symmetry breaking can cause the development of domains with independent order parameters, which then grow and approach each other creating boundary defects. This is known as the Kibble–Zurek mechanism. Originally introduced in cosmology, it applies to both classical and quantum phase transitions, in a wide variety of physical systems. Here we report on the spontaneous creation of solitons in Bose–Einstein condensates through the Kibble–Zurek mechanism. We measure the power-law dependence of defect number on the quench time, and show that lower atomic densities enhance defect formation. These results provide a promising test bed for the determination of critical exponents in Bose–Einstein condensates. The Kibble–Zurek mechanism describes the spontaneous formation of defects in systems that are undergoing a second-order phase transition at a finite rate. Familiar to cosmologists and condensed matter physicists, this mechanism is now found to be responsible for the spontaneous creation of solitons in a Bose–Einstein condensate.