Self-generated quantum gauge fields in arrays of Rydberg atoms
- As shown in recent experiments (Lienhard et al 2020 Phys. Rev. X 10 021031), spin–orbit coupling in systems of Rydberg atoms can give rise to density-dependent Peierls phases in second-order hoppings of Rydberg spin excitations and nearest-neighbor repulsion. We here study theoretically a one-dimensional zig-zag ladder system of such spin–orbit coupled Rydberg atoms at half filling. The second-order hopping is shown to be associated with an effective gauge field, which in mean-field approximation is static and homogeneous. Beyond the mean-field level the gauge potential attains a transverse quantum component whose amplitude is dynamical and linked to density modulations. We here study the effects of this to the possible ground-state phases of the system. In a phase where strong repulsion leads to a density wave, we find that as a consequence of the induced quantum gauge field a regular pattern of current vortices is formed. However also in the absence of density–density interactions the quantum gauge field attains a non-vanishing amplitude. Above a certain critical strength of the second-order hopping the energy gain due to gauge-field induced transport overcomes the energy cost from the associated build-up of density modulations leading to a spontaneous generation of the quantum gauge field.
Verfasser*innenangaben: | Simon OhlerORCiD, Maximilian Kiefer-Emmanouilidis, Antoine Browaeys, Hans Peter Büchler, Michael FleischhauerORCiD |
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URN: | urn:nbn:de:hbz:386-kluedo-81581 |
DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/ac4a15 |
ISSN: | 1367-2630 |
Titel des übergeordneten Werkes (Englisch): | New Journal of Physics |
Verlag: | IOP |
Dokumentart: | Wissenschaftlicher Artikel |
Sprache der Veröffentlichung: | Englisch |
Datum der Veröffentlichung (online): | 30.04.2024 |
Jahr der Erstveröffentlichung: | 2022 |
Veröffentlichende Institution: | Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern-Landau |
Datum der Publikation (Server): | 30.04.2024 |
Ausgabe / Heft: | 24 |
Seitenzahl: | 20 |
Quelle: | https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1367-2630/ac4a15 |
Fachbereiche / Organisatorische Einheiten: | Kaiserslautern - Fachbereich Physik |
DDC-Sachgruppen: | 5 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / 530 Physik |
Sammlungen: | Open-Access-Publikationsfonds |
Lizenz (Deutsch): | Zweitveröffentlichung |