| Spinor condensates are quantum fluids with a spin degree of freedom and are thus described by a vectorial order parameter. These superfluids are predicted to exhibit a variety of phenomena including complex spin textures, highly correlated spin states and domain formation. We have used dispersive non-destructive imaging to measure the complete vector magnetization of spinor condensates in situ. Recent applications of this method include the study of spontaneous symmetry breaking and topological defect formation at a quantum phase transition, and also implementation spatially-resolved high-precision magnetometry. |
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