Many-body physics and disorder in a twisted optical cavity
ORAL
Abstract
Optical cavities with degenerate transverse modes provide a versatile platform for exploring complex physical phenomena. We employ a twisted four-mirror optical cavity containing two intracavity lenses to engineer an artificial gauge field for light, providing the platform for the study of topological physics. By loading cold (Rubidium 87) atoms into the waist of the cavity and utilizing an Electromagnetically Induced Transparency (EIT) scheme, we create Rydberg polaritons. These quasiparticles — hybridized light-matter excitations — inherit their properties from their respective constituents: topological characteristics from the cavity geometry and strong interactions from the Rydberg component. In the regime where the Rydberg blockade radius matches the cavity mode waist, the system is restricted to a single polariton per mode, enabling the synthesis of topological quantum fluids. Notably, this has allowed for the creation of exotic many-body states, such as Laughlin states [1].
In this talk, we highlight our precise control over mode degeneracy and characterize the structural evolution of the modes during the tuning process towards degeneracy. We discuss the effect of artificial potential gradients on the spectrum and characterize the residual disorder following system optimization. Specifically, we demonstrate how the shape of the disorder potential can be extracted using the topological edge states of the lowest Landau level. These experimental findings are further corroborated by comprehensive numerical simulations. Finally, we present initial results and an outlook on the system’s capability to generate displaced Laughlin states within the degenerate mode spectrum. We conclude by discussing the system’s potential for engineering more complex topological quantum fluids using highly excited Rydberg states with tailored interaction potentials.
[1] Clark, L.W., Schine, N., Baum, C. et al. Observation of Laughlin states made of light. Nature 582, 41–45 (2020)
In this talk, we highlight our precise control over mode degeneracy and characterize the structural evolution of the modes during the tuning process towards degeneracy. We discuss the effect of artificial potential gradients on the spectrum and characterize the residual disorder following system optimization. Specifically, we demonstrate how the shape of the disorder potential can be extracted using the topological edge states of the lowest Landau level. These experimental findings are further corroborated by comprehensive numerical simulations. Finally, we present initial results and an outlook on the system’s capability to generate displaced Laughlin states within the degenerate mode spectrum. We conclude by discussing the system’s potential for engineering more complex topological quantum fluids using highly excited Rydberg states with tailored interaction potentials.
[1] Clark, L.W., Schine, N., Baum, C. et al. Observation of Laughlin states made of light. Nature 582, 41–45 (2020)
*This work was supported by AFOSR MURI FA9550-19-1-0399 and NSF QLCI-HQAN 2016136.
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Presenters
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Marius Juergensen
- Stanford University