Quantum simulation has the potential to investigate gauge theories in strongly interacting regimes, which are currently inaccessible through conventional numerical techniques. Here, we take a first ...step in this direction by implementing a Floquet-based method for studying \{\Bbb Z}_2\ lattice gauge theories using two-component ultracold atoms in a double-well potential. For resonant periodic driving at the on-site interaction strength and an appropriate choice of the modulation parameters, the effective Floquet Hamiltonian exhibits \{\Bbb Z}_2\ symmetry. We study the dynamics of the system for different initial states and critically contrast the observed evolution with a theoretical analysis of the full time-dependent Hamiltonian of the periodically driven lattice model. We reveal challenges that arise due to symmetry-breaking terms and outline potential pathways to overcome these limitations. Our results provide important insights for future studies of lattice gauge theories based on Floquet techniques.
Coherent control via periodic modulation, also known as Floquet engineering, has emerged as a powerful experimental method for the realization of novel quantum systems with exotic properties. In ...particular, it has been employed to study topological phenomena in a variety of different platforms. In driven systems, the topological properties of the quasienergy bands can often be determined by standard topological invariants, such as Chern numbers, which are commonly used in static systems. However, due to the periodic nature of the quasienergy spectrum, this topological description is incomplete and new invariants are required to fully capture the topological properties of these driven settings. Most prominently, there are two-dimensional anomalous Floquet systems that exhibit robust chiral edge modes, despite all Chern numbers being equal to zero. Here we realize such a system with bosonic atoms in a periodically driven honeycomb lattice and infer the complete set of topological invariants from energy gap measurements and local Hall deflections.Standard topological invariants commonly used in static systems are not enough to fully capture the topological properties of Floquet systems. In a periodically driven quantum gas, chiral edge modes emerge despite all Chern numbers being equal to zero.
Single atoms and molecules can be trapped in tightly focused beams of light that form ‘optical tweezers’, affording exquisite capabilities for the control and detection of individual particles. This ...approach has progressed to creating tweezer arrays holding hundreds of atoms, resulting in a platform for controlling large many-particle quantum systems. Here we review this new approach to microscopic control of scalable atomic and molecular neutral quantum systems, its future prospects, and applications in quantum information processing, quantum simulation and metrology.Large arrays of atoms and molecules can be arranged and controlled with high precision using optical tweezers. This Review surveys the latest methodological advances and their applications to quantum technologies.
Quantum simulation, a subdiscipline of quantum computation, can provide valuable insight into difficult quantum problems in physics or chemistry. Ultracold atoms in optical lattices represent an ...ideal platform for simulations of quantum many-body problems. Within this setting, quantum gas microscopes enable single atom observation and manipulation in large samples. Ultracold atom–based quantum simulators have already been used to probe quantum magnetism, to realize and detect topological quantum matter, and to study quantum systems with controlled long-range interactions. Experiments on many-body systems out of equilibrium have also provided results in regimes unavailable to the most advanced supercomputers. We review recent experimental progress in this field and comment on future directions.
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