Topological sub-wavelength optical lattices for ultracold atoms

Session Information

Location: amf. P7 | "Gheorghe Asachi" Technical University of Iași (TUIAȘI)
Day: 2. Tuesday 16
Time: 09:00-10:00
Chairperson: Teodora Kirova

Presentation Details

Presentation Type: Oral presentation
Title: Topological sub-wavelength optical lattices for ultracold atoms
Abstract: Ultracold atoms provide a versatile platform for simulating topological and many-body phenomena in condensed matter and high-energy physics [1-4]. The use of atomic dark states (long-lived superpositions of atomic internal ground states immune to atom-light coupling) offers new possibilities for such simulations. Making the dark states position-dependent allows for the generation of a synthetic magnetic field for ultracold atoms, as they adiabatically follow the dark states [5-7]. This enables the emulation of the Quantum and Fractional Hall effects.
Here, we present a general description of two-dimensional (2D) topological dark-state lattices, elucidating their interplay with sub-wavelength lattices [7]. In particular, we demonstrate that one can create a 2D Kronig-Penney lattice representing a periodic set of 2D subwavelength potential peaks affected by a non-staggered magnetic flux. Away from these patches of the strong magnetic field, there is a smooth background magnetic flux of the opposite sign, compensating for the former peaks. For sufficiently narrow regions of the strong magnetic field, the smooth background magnetic field dominates, leading to various topological phenomena. This work paves the way for experimental exploration of topological phases in dark-state optical lattices, offering new possibilities for simulating quantum Hall systems, fractional Chern insulators and related strongly correlated phases.
[1] M. Lewenstein et al, Adv. Phys. 56, 243 (2007).
[2] I. Bloch, J. Dalibard, and W. Zwerger, Rev. Mod. Phys. 80, 885 (2008).
[3] C. Gross and I. Bloch, Science 357, 995 (2017).
[4] N. Goldman, G. Juzeliūnas, P. Öhberg, and I. B. Spielman, Rep. Prog. Phys., 77, 126401 (2014).
[5] E. Gvozdiovas, I. B. Spielman, and G. Juzeliūnas, Phys. Rev. A, 107, 033328 (2023).
[6] S. Nascimbene and J. Dalibard, Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 153402 (2025).
[7] D. Burba and G. Juzeliūnas, Phys. Rev. Research 7, 043090 (2025).

Presenter

Prof Gediminas Juzeliūnas
Vilnius University | Lithuania

Authors

1. Juzeliūnas, Gediminas | Department of Physics, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio 3, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania
2. Burba, Domantas | Department of Physics, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio 3, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania