In electromagnetism, the vector potential generates magnetic fields through its spatial variation and electric fields through its time dependence. Now, it is demonstrated that, by engineering a time-varying vector potential acting on an atomic Bose–Einstein condensate, a synthetic gauge field can be generated that has the effect of an electric field on the atoms, even if these are neutral.
- Y-J. Lin
- R. L. Compton
- I. B. Spielman
