Export citation

Export citation

Choose format for download:

Download Citation
  • Editors' Suggestion

Quantum diatomic chain: A supersolid structure in a three-component Bose mixture

Francesco Ancilotto

Phys. Rev. A 112, 063317 – Published 18 December, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/vyjv-bfgm

Abstract

The formation and properties of a supersolid structure in a three-component ultracold Bose gas mixture at T=0 are investigated theoretically. The system consists of Na23, K39, and K41 atomic species, in which the binary mixtures of (Na23,K39) and (K39,K41) can form self-bound quantum droplets stabilized by quantum fluctuations. Two such droplets can bind together by the shared K39 component, forming a stable “dimer” structure, which displays vibrational modes analogous to a classical diatomic molecule. A simple protocol is proposed to create a stable linear chain formed by periodic repetition of this basic building block, i.e., an alternating sequence of (Na23,K39) and (K39,K41) droplets. This structure exhibits both periodic density modulations from the droplet ordering and global phase coherence due to the shared K39 component, satisfying the criteria for supersolidity. This expands the class of known supersolids by adding a system where mediated binding—rather than intrinsic long-range interactions or engineered band structures as in previously known supersolids—is the key organizing principle, thereby offering alternative directions for both theory and experiment. The low-energy excitation spectrum, probed by density perturbations, identifies modes corresponding to droplet vibrations close to the ones expected from a classical diatomic chain, coexisting with low-energy superfluid (Goldstone-type) modes.

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Authorization Required

We need you to provide your credentials before accessing this content.

References (Subscription Required)

Outline

Information

Sign In to Your Journals Account

Filter

Filter

Article Lookup

Enter a citation