Spotlighting phase separation in Rashba spin-orbit coupled Bose–Einstein condensates in two dimensions

We study the system of spin-orbit (SO) coupled Bose–Einstein condensates (BEC) with Rabi coupling in quasi-two dimensions characterized by unequal Rashba and Dresselhaus couplings. The ground state properties and the phase diagram of the system are studied within the mean-field approximation at T = 0. The energy-momentum dispersion relation corresponding to the single-particle ground state exhibits an infinitely degenerate Rashba ring, whose degeneracy is destroyed by the Rabi coupling, leading to a single-point lowest energy. The effect of Rabi coupling and interaction in the system show up three different phases, namely stripe, plane wave and zero momentum phase. At a particular parametric condition, the system admits a critical point separating all three different phases, known as the tri-critical point. For further insight, the momentum distribution, the energy and the longitudinal/transverse spin polarization corresponding to the quantum phases are comprehensively discussed. (paper)