Rotating curved spacetime signatures from a giant quantum vortex

Patrik Švančara; Pietro Smaniotto; Leonardo Solidoro; James F. MacDonald; Sam Patrick; Ruth Gregory; Carlo F. Barenghi; Silke Weinfurtner

doi:10.1038/s41586-024-07176-8

Rotating curved spacetime signatures from a giant quantum vortex

Patrik Švančara^*, Pietro Smaniotto, Leonardo Solidoro, James F. MacDonald, Sam Patrick, Ruth Gregory, Carlo F. Barenghi, Silke Weinfurtner^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

19 Citations (Scopus)

157 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Gravity simulators¹ are laboratory systems in which small excitations such as sound² or surface waves^3,4 behave as fields propagating on a curved spacetime geometry. The analogy between gravity and fluids requires vanishing viscosity^2–4, a feature naturally realized in superfluids such as liquid helium or cold atomic clouds^5–8. Such systems have been successful in verifying key predictions of quantum field theory in curved spacetime^7–11. In particular, quantum simulations of rotating curved spacetimes indicative of astrophysical black holes require the realization of an extensive vortex flow¹² in superfluid systems. Here we demonstrate that, despite the inherent instability of multiply quantized vortices^13,14, a stationary giant quantum vortex can be stabilized in superfluid ⁴He. Its compact core carries thousands of circulation quanta, prevailing over current limitations in other physical systems such as magnons⁵, atomic clouds^6,7 and polaritons^15,16. We introduce a minimally invasive way to characterize the vortex flow^17,18 by exploiting the interaction of micrometre-scale waves on the superfluid interface with the background velocity field. Intricate wave–vortex interactions, including the detection of bound states and distinctive analogue black hole ringdown signatures, have been observed. These results open new avenues to explore quantum-to-classical vortex transitions and use superfluid helium as a finite-temperature quantum field theory simulator for rotating curved spacetimes¹⁹.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	66-70
Number of pages	5
Journal	Nature
Volume	628
Issue number	8006
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07176-8
Publication status	Published - 4 Apr 2024

Access to Document

10.1038/s41586-024-07176-8

s41586-024-07176-8 (1)Final published version, 3.15 MB

Cite this

@article{3981d88c0a414a3ea0e69c1181ee6443,

title = "Rotating curved spacetime signatures from a giant quantum vortex",

abstract = "Gravity simulators1 are laboratory systems in which small excitations such as sound2 or surface waves3,4 behave as fields propagating on a curved spacetime geometry. The analogy between gravity and fluids requires vanishing viscosity2–4, a feature naturally realized in superfluids such as liquid helium or cold atomic clouds5–8. Such systems have been successful in verifying key predictions of quantum field theory in curved spacetime7–11. In particular, quantum simulations of rotating curved spacetimes indicative of astrophysical black holes require the realization of an extensive vortex flow12 in superfluid systems. Here we demonstrate that, despite the inherent instability of multiply quantized vortices13,14, a stationary giant quantum vortex can be stabilized in superfluid 4He. Its compact core carries thousands of circulation quanta, prevailing over current limitations in other physical systems such as magnons5, atomic clouds6,7 and polaritons15,16. We introduce a minimally invasive way to characterize the vortex flow17,18 by exploiting the interaction of micrometre-scale waves on the superfluid interface with the background velocity field. Intricate wave–vortex interactions, including the detection of bound states and distinctive analogue black hole ringdown signatures, have been observed. These results open new avenues to explore quantum-to-classical vortex transitions and use superfluid helium as a finite-temperature quantum field theory simulator for rotating curved spacetimes19.",

author = "Patrik {\v S}van{\v c}ara and Pietro Smaniotto and Leonardo Solidoro and MacDonald, {James F.} and Sam Patrick and Ruth Gregory and Barenghi, {Carlo F.} and Silke Weinfurtner",

note = "Funding Information: We deeply appreciate the technical team at the School of Physics & Astronomy, University of Nottingham, for their unwavering commitment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their efforts led to the establishment of a new cryogenic laboratory. Special thanks to T. Wright for his expertise in realizing this vision. We are grateful to J. Owers-Bradley for his crucial support in set-up planning and design. The contributions of V. Tsepelin in heat-leak mitigation were indispensable. We also thank X. Rojas and G. Ithier for discussions on light integration into the cryogenic system. Acknowledgements go to all members of the Gravity Laboratory group at the University of Nottingham for their insightful discussions and contributions, particularly V. S. Barroso, whose work with Fourier transform profilometry greatly enriched our project. Furthermore, S.W., R.G., C.F.B. and P.{\v S}. extend their appreciation to the Science and Technology Facilities Council for their generous support in Quantum Simulators for Fundamental Physics (QSimFP) (ST/T006900/1, ST/T005858/1 and ST/T00584X/1), as part of the UKRI Quantum Technologies for Fundamental Physics programme. S.W., L.S. and J.F.M. gratefully acknowledge the support of the Leverhulme Research Leadership Award (RL-2019-020). S.W. also acknowledges the Royal Society University Research Fellowship (UF120112). R.G. and S.W. express sincere appreciation to the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics for their warm hospitality and organization of the QSimFP network meeting. Research conducted at the Perimeter Institute is made possible through the generous support of the Government of Canada, through the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, as well as by the Province of Ontario, through the Ministry of Colleges and Universities. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2024.",

year = "2024",

month = apr,

day = "4",

doi = "10.1038/s41586-024-07176-8",

language = "English",

volume = "628",

pages = "66--70",

journal = "Nature",

issn = "0028-0836",

publisher = "Springer Nature",

number = "8006",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Rotating curved spacetime signatures from a giant quantum vortex

AU - Švančara, Patrik

AU - Smaniotto, Pietro

AU - Solidoro, Leonardo

AU - MacDonald, James F.

AU - Patrick, Sam

AU - Gregory, Ruth

AU - Barenghi, Carlo F.

AU - Weinfurtner, Silke

N1 - Funding Information: We deeply appreciate the technical team at the School of Physics & Astronomy, University of Nottingham, for their unwavering commitment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their efforts led to the establishment of a new cryogenic laboratory. Special thanks to T. Wright for his expertise in realizing this vision. We are grateful to J. Owers-Bradley for his crucial support in set-up planning and design. The contributions of V. Tsepelin in heat-leak mitigation were indispensable. We also thank X. Rojas and G. Ithier for discussions on light integration into the cryogenic system. Acknowledgements go to all members of the Gravity Laboratory group at the University of Nottingham for their insightful discussions and contributions, particularly V. S. Barroso, whose work with Fourier transform profilometry greatly enriched our project. Furthermore, S.W., R.G., C.F.B. and P.Š. extend their appreciation to the Science and Technology Facilities Council for their generous support in Quantum Simulators for Fundamental Physics (QSimFP) (ST/T006900/1, ST/T005858/1 and ST/T00584X/1), as part of the UKRI Quantum Technologies for Fundamental Physics programme. S.W., L.S. and J.F.M. gratefully acknowledge the support of the Leverhulme Research Leadership Award (RL-2019-020). S.W. also acknowledges the Royal Society University Research Fellowship (UF120112). R.G. and S.W. express sincere appreciation to the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics for their warm hospitality and organization of the QSimFP network meeting. Research conducted at the Perimeter Institute is made possible through the generous support of the Government of Canada, through the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, as well as by the Province of Ontario, through the Ministry of Colleges and Universities. Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2024.

PY - 2024/4/4

Y1 - 2024/4/4

N2 - Gravity simulators1 are laboratory systems in which small excitations such as sound2 or surface waves3,4 behave as fields propagating on a curved spacetime geometry. The analogy between gravity and fluids requires vanishing viscosity2–4, a feature naturally realized in superfluids such as liquid helium or cold atomic clouds5–8. Such systems have been successful in verifying key predictions of quantum field theory in curved spacetime7–11. In particular, quantum simulations of rotating curved spacetimes indicative of astrophysical black holes require the realization of an extensive vortex flow12 in superfluid systems. Here we demonstrate that, despite the inherent instability of multiply quantized vortices13,14, a stationary giant quantum vortex can be stabilized in superfluid 4He. Its compact core carries thousands of circulation quanta, prevailing over current limitations in other physical systems such as magnons5, atomic clouds6,7 and polaritons15,16. We introduce a minimally invasive way to characterize the vortex flow17,18 by exploiting the interaction of micrometre-scale waves on the superfluid interface with the background velocity field. Intricate wave–vortex interactions, including the detection of bound states and distinctive analogue black hole ringdown signatures, have been observed. These results open new avenues to explore quantum-to-classical vortex transitions and use superfluid helium as a finite-temperature quantum field theory simulator for rotating curved spacetimes19.

AB - Gravity simulators1 are laboratory systems in which small excitations such as sound2 or surface waves3,4 behave as fields propagating on a curved spacetime geometry. The analogy between gravity and fluids requires vanishing viscosity2–4, a feature naturally realized in superfluids such as liquid helium or cold atomic clouds5–8. Such systems have been successful in verifying key predictions of quantum field theory in curved spacetime7–11. In particular, quantum simulations of rotating curved spacetimes indicative of astrophysical black holes require the realization of an extensive vortex flow12 in superfluid systems. Here we demonstrate that, despite the inherent instability of multiply quantized vortices13,14, a stationary giant quantum vortex can be stabilized in superfluid 4He. Its compact core carries thousands of circulation quanta, prevailing over current limitations in other physical systems such as magnons5, atomic clouds6,7 and polaritons15,16. We introduce a minimally invasive way to characterize the vortex flow17,18 by exploiting the interaction of micrometre-scale waves on the superfluid interface with the background velocity field. Intricate wave–vortex interactions, including the detection of bound states and distinctive analogue black hole ringdown signatures, have been observed. These results open new avenues to explore quantum-to-classical vortex transitions and use superfluid helium as a finite-temperature quantum field theory simulator for rotating curved spacetimes19.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85188153195&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/s41586-024-07176-8

DO - 10.1038/s41586-024-07176-8

M3 - Article

C2 - 38509373

AN - SCOPUS:85188153195

SN - 0028-0836

VL - 628

SP - 66

EP - 70

JO - Nature

JF - Nature

IS - 8006

ER -

Rotating curved spacetime signatures from a giant quantum vortex

Abstract

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this