RT Journal Article
T1 An optical-lattice-based quantum simulator for relativistic field theories and topological insulators
A1 Mazza, Leonardo
A1 Bermúdez Carballo, Alejandro
A1 Goldman, Nathan
A1 Rizzi, Matteo
A1 Martín-Delgado Alcántara, Miguel Ángel
A1 Lewenstein, Maciej
AB We present a proposal for a versatile cold-atom-based quantum simulator of relativistic fermionic theories and topological insulators in arbitrary dimensions. The setup consists of a spin-independent optical lattice that traps a collection of hyperfine states of the same alkaline atom, to which the different degrees of freedom of the field theory to be simulated are then mapped. We show that the combination of bi-chromatic optical lattices with Raman transitions can allow the engineering of a spin-dependent tunneling of the atoms between neighboring lattice sites. These assisted-hopping processes can be employed for the quantum simulation of various interesting models, ranging from noninteracting relativistic fermionic theories to topological insulators. We present a toolbox for the realization of different types of relativistic lattice fermions, which can then be exploited to synthesize a majority of phases in the periodic table of topological insulators.
PB IOP Publishing
SN 1367-2630
YR 2012
FD 2012-01-31
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/42821
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/42821
LA eng
NO © IOP Publishing Ltd and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft. LM and MR acknowledge fruitful discussions with U Schneider with whom the superlattice idea was actually conceived. We also thank J I Cirac, S Dürr, G Juzeliunas, W Phillips,  I Spielman, and C Wu. LM and MR thank Caixa Manresa and ICFO for hospitality; MR and ML thank KITP for hospitality. MR and ML have received funding from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement no. 247687 (IP-AQUTE). ML also acknowledges financial support from ERC Grant QUAGATUA, EU STREP NAMEQUAM, MINCIN FIS2008-00784, the Alexander von Humbold Foundation and Hamburg Theory Award. NG thanks the FRS-FNRS for financial support. AB and MAMD thank MICINN FIS2009-10061, CAM QUITEMAD, European FET-7 PICC and UCM-BS GICC-910758.
NO European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013)
NO ERC
NO MINCIN
NO Alexander von Humbold Foundation
NO Hamburg Theory Award
NO FRS-FNRS
NO CAM, Spain
NO European FET-7 PICC
NO UCM-BS
DS Docta Complutense
RD 12 abr 2025