### Session H5: Unconventional Atom Trap Geometries

10:30 AM–12:18 PM, Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Room: Garden 3

Chair: Trey Porto, NIST

Abstract ID: BAPS.2012.DAMOP.H5.1

### Abstract: H5.00001 : Quantized decay of high charge superflow in an annular BEC

10:30 AM–10:42 AM

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#### Authors:

Scott Beattie
(University of Cambridge)

Stuart Moulder
(University of Cambridge)

Rob Smith
(University of Cambridge)

Naaman Tammuz
(University of Cambridge)

We have studied superfluid flow using a holographically generated Laguerre-Gauss (LG) beam to trap and rotate Bose-Einstein condensates of $^{87}$Rb atoms. ~The LG beam allows phase windings with arbitrary choice of charge to be imprinted on the atomic cloud. The transferred angular momentum can be measured both interferometrically and mechanically. We have observed high charge vortices persist for long times ($>$40s) and decay stochastically in a quantized fashion. We also discuss our latest results on the application of artificial gauge potentials to our annular BEC.