Spontaneous symmetry breaking of dual-layer solitons in spin-orbit-coupled Bose-Einstein condensates (Q2684093)

In this paper the authors introduce a double-layer system, in which two binary condensates, stabilized by the SOC, are linearly coupled by tunneling. Using the numerical methods, the symmetric two-layer solitons undergo the spontaneous-symmetry-breaking (SSB) bifurcation of the subcritical type is revealed. The bifurcation produces families of asymmetric 2D solitons, which exist up to the value of the total norm equal to the norm of the Townes solitons, above which the collapse occurs. This situation terminates at a critical value of the inter-layer coupling, beyond which the SSB bifurcation is absent, as the collapse sets in earlier. Symmetric 2D solitons that are destabilized by the SSB demonstrate dynamical symmetry breaking, in combination with intrinsic oscillations of the solitons, or transition to the collapse, if the soliton's norm is sufficiently large. Asymmetric MMs produced by the SSB instability start spontaneous drift, in addition to the intrinsic vibrations. Some previous related results are generalized and improved.