Dynamics of spin–orbital-angular-momentum coupled Bose–Einstein condensates on a ring

We investigate the dynamics of a two-component Bose–Einstein condensate subject to spin–orbital-angular-momentum coupling and confined to a ring, via the variational approach. Adopting a single-mode approximation by assuming that the BEC carries a single angular momentum for SU(2)-symmetric spin interactions, the equations of motion for the variational parameters are derived. The phase diagram of the ground state in the plane of the Raman coupling and detuning contains three different phases which meet at a tricritical point, and the exact phase boundaries between the three phases are determined. Linear stability analysis shows that the stationary state is dynamically stable, and there exists an oscillation eigenmode with frequency determined by detuning, angular momentum, and Raman coupling. The time-evolution results indicate that the spin vector undergoes periodic rotation along a closed orbit on the Bloch sphere, which can be interpreted as a precession of the collective spin around an effective field determined by the Raman coupling strength, the detuning, and the angular momentum.