Stable multi-ring and rotating solitons in two-dimensional spin-orbit coupled Bose-Einstein condensates with a radially-periodic potential

Abstract: We consider two-dimensional spin-orbit coupled atomic Bose-Einstein condensate in a radially-periodic potential. The system supports different types of stable self-sustained states including radially-symmetric vorticity-carrying modes with different topological charges in two spinor components that may have multiring profiles and at the same time remain remarkably stable for repulsive interactions. Solitons of the second type show persistent rotation with constant angular frequency. They can be stable for both repulsive and attractive interatomic interactions. Due to inequivalence between clockwise and counterclockwise rotation directions introduced by spin-orbit coupling, the properties of such solitons strongly differ for positive and negative rotation frequencies. Collision of solitons located in the same or different rings is accompanied by change of the rotation frequency that depends on the phase difference between colliding solitons.