Light-induced localized vortices in multicomponent Bose-Einstein condensates

Abstract: We study continuous interaction of a trapped two-component Bose-Einstein condensate with light fields in a $\Lambda$-type configuration. Using light beams with orbital angular momentum, we theoretically show how to create a stable, pinned vortex configuration, where the rotating component is confined to the region surrounded by the second, non-rotating component. The atoms constituting this vortex can be localized in volumes much smaller than the volume occupied by the second component. The position of the vortex can be robustly changed by moving the laser beams as long as the beam movement speed is below the speed of sound.