Fractional-charge vortex in a spinor Bose-Einstein condensate

Abstract

We classify all possible fractional charge vortices of charge less than unity in spin-1 and spin-2 polar and cyclic Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) with zero magnetization. Statics and dynamics of these vortices in quasi-two-dimensional spinor BECs are studied employing an accurate numerical solution and a Lagrange variational approximation. The results for density and collective-mode oscillation are illustrated using the fractional-charge BEC vortex of Na23 and Rb87 atoms with realistic interaction and trapping potential parameters.