We predict solitary vortices in quasiplanar condensates of dipolar atoms, polarized parallel to the confinement direction, with the effective sign of the dipole-dipole interaction inverted by means of a rapidly rotating field. Energy minima corresponding to vortex solitons with topological charges $\ell =1$ and 2 are predicted for moderately strong dipole-dipole interaction, using an axisymmetric Gaussian Ansatz. The stability of the solitons with $\ell =1$ is confirmed by full three-dimensional simulations, whereas their counterparts with $\ell =2$ are found to be unstable against splitting into a set of four fragments (quadrupole).

• Received 23 June 2008

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.78.043614