Symmetry-breaking transitions in a coupled two-component Bose-Einstein condensate is studied.

Abstract: We study both mean-field and full quantum dynamics of symmetry-breaking transitions (SBTs) in a coupled two-component Bose-Einstein condensate. By controlling s-wave scattering lengths and the coupling strength, it is possible to stimulate SBTs between normal and spontaneously polarized ground states. In static transitions, the probability maxima of full quantum ground states correspond to the mean-field ground states. In dynamical transitions, due to the vanishing of excitation gaps, the mean-field dynamics shows universal scalings obeying the Kibble-Zurek mechanism. Both mean-field and full quantum defect modes appear as damped oscillations, but they appear at different critical points and undergo different oscillation regimes. The anomalous breakdown of mean-field dynamics induced by SBTs depends on the approaching direction.

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