604 research outputs found
Creating topological interfaces and detecting chiral edge modes in a 2D optical lattice
We propose and analyze a general scheme to create chiral topological edge
modes within the bulk of two-dimensional engineered quantum systems. Our method
is based on the implementation of topological interfaces, designed within the
bulk of the system, where topologically-protected edge modes localize and
freely propagate in a unidirectional manner. This scheme is illustrated through
an optical-lattice realization of the Haldane model for cold atoms, where an
additional spatially-varying lattice potential induces distinct topological
phases in separated regions of space. We present two realistic experimental
configurations, which lead to linear and radial-symmetric topological
interfaces, which both allows one to significantly reduce the effects of
external confinement on topological edge properties. Furthermore, the
versatility of our method opens the possibility of tuning the position, the
localization length and the chirality of the edge modes, through simple
adjustments of the lattice potentials. In order to demonstrate the unique
detectability offered by engineered interfaces, we numerically investigate the
time-evolution of wave packets, indicating how topological transport
unambiguously manifests itself within the lattice. Finally, we analyze the
effects of disorder on the dynamics of chiral and non-chiral states present in
the system. Interestingly, engineered disorder is shown to provide a powerful
tool for the detection of topological edge modes in cold-atom setups.Comment: 18 pages, 21 figure
Controlling the Floquet state population and observing micromotion in a periodically driven two-body quantum system
Near-resonant periodic driving of quantum systems promises the implementation
of a large variety of novel effective Hamiltonians. The challenge of Floquet
engineering lies in the preparation and measurement of the desired quantum
state. We address these aspects in a model system consisting of interacting
fermions in a periodically driven array of double wells created by an optical
lattice. The singlet and triplet fractions and the double occupancy of the
Floquet states are measured, and their behavior as a function of the
interaction strength is analyzed in the high- and low-frequency regimes. We
demonstrate full control of the Floquet state population and find suitable
ramping protocols and time-scales which adiabatically connect the initial
ground state to different targeted Floquet states. The micromotion which
exactly describes the time evolution of the system within one driving cycle is
observed. Additionally, we provide an analytic description of the model and
compare it to numerical simulations
Enhancement and sign change of magnetic correlations in a driven quantum many-body system
Periodic driving can be used to coherently control the properties of a
many-body state and to realize new phases which are not accessible in static
systems. For example, exposing materials to intense laser pulses enables to
provoke metal-insulator transitions, control the magnetic order and induce
transient superconducting behaviour well above the static transition
temperature. However, pinning down the responsible mechanisms is often
difficult, since the response to irradiation is governed by complex many-body
dynamics. In contrast to static systems, where extensive calculations have been
performed to explain phenomena such as high-temperature superconductivity,
theoretical analyses of driven many-body Hamiltonians are more demanding and
new theoretical approaches have been inspired by the recent observations. Here,
we perform an experimental quantum simulation in a periodically modulated
hexagonal lattice and show that anti-ferromagnetic correlations in a fermionic
many-body system can be reduced or enhanced or even switched to ferromagnetic
correlations. We first demonstrate that in the high frequency regime, the
description of the many-body system by an effective Floquet-Hamiltonian with a
renormalized tunnelling energy remains valid, by comparing the results to
measurements in an equivalent static lattice. For near-resonant driving, the
enhancement and sign reversal of correlations is explained by a microscopic
model, in which the particle tunnelling and magnetic exchange energies can be
controlled independently. In combination with the observed sufficiently long
lifetime of correlations, Floquet engineering thus constitutes an alternative
route to experimentally investigate unconventional pairing in strongly
correlated systems.Comment: 6+7 pages, 4+4 figure
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