Goldstone-mode Instability leading to Fragmentation in a Spinor Bose-Einstein Condensate

Abstract

We apply the number-conserving Bogoliubov theory to spinor Bose-Einstein condensates and show that the Goldstone magnon leads instability leading to fragmentation. Unlike the dynamical instability, where modes with complex eigenfrequencies grow exponentially, here the zero-energy mode exhibits algebraic growth. We also point out that a small fraction of thermally excited atoms enhances the fragmentation dynamics.