Universal coarsening dynamics of a quenched ferromagnetic spin-1 condensate

Abstract: We demonstrate that a quasi-two-dimensional spin-1 condensate quenched to a ferromagnetic phase undergoes universal coarsening in its late time dynamics. The quench can be implemented by a sudden change in the applied magnetic field and, depending on the final value, the ferromagnetic phase has easy-axis (Ising) or easy-plane (XY) symmetry, with different dynamical critical exponents. Our results for the easy-plane phase reveal a fractal domain structure and the crucial role of polar-core spin vortices in the coarsening dynamics.