Transient Supersolid Properties in an Array of Dipolar Quantum Droplets

Abstract

We study theoretically and experimentally the emergence of supersolid properties in a dipolar Bose-Einstein condensate. The theory reveals a ground state phase diagram with three distinct regimes-a regular Bose-Einstein condensate and incoherent and coherent arrays of quantum droplets. The coherent droplets are connected by a background condensate, which leads-in addition to the periodic density modulation-to a robust phase coherence throughout the whole system. We further theoretically demonstrate that we are able to dynamically approach the ground state in our experiment and that its lifetime is limited only by three-body losses. Experimentally we probe and confirm the signatures of the phase diagram by observing the in situ density modulation as well as the phase coherence using matter wave interference.