Adjustable half-skyrmion chains induced by SU(3) spin-orbit coupling in rotating Bose-Einstein condensates

The ground state properties of the rotating Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) with SU(3) spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in a two-dimensional harmonic trap are studied. The results show that the ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic systems present three half-skyrmion chains at an angle of 120° to each other along the coupling directions. With the enhancement of isotropic SU(3) SOC strength, the position of the three chains remains unchanged, in which the number of half-skyrmions increases gradually. With the increase of rotation frequency and atomic density-density interaction, the number of half-skyrmions on the three chains and in the regions between two chains increases gradually. The relationships of the total number of half-skyrmions on the three chains with the increase of SU(3) SOC strength, rotation frequency and atomic density-density interaction are also given. In addition, changing the anisotropic SU(3) SOC strength can regulate the number and morphology of the half-skyrmion chains.