Observation of two-dimensional localised Jones-Roberts solitons in Bose Einstein condensates

Abstract

Jones-Roberts solitons are the only known class of stable dark solitonic solutions of the non-linear Schr\"odinger equation in two and three dimensions. They feature a distinctive elongated elliptical shape that allows them to travel without change of form. By imprinting a triangular phase pattern, we experimentally generate two-dimensional Jones-Roberts solitons in a three-dimensional atomic Bose-Einstein condensate. We monitor their dynamics observing that this kind of solitons is indeed not affected by dynamic (snaking) or thermodynamic instabilities, that instead make other classes of dark solitons unstable in dimensions higher than one. We additionally find signatures of a possible dipole-like interaction between them. Our results confirm the prediction that Jones-Roberts solitons are stable solutions of the non-linear Schr\"odinger equation and promote them for applications beyond matter wave physics, like energy and information transport in noisy and inhomogeneous environments.