Anyonic Braiding in Optical Lattices

ORAL

Abstract

Topological quantum computation proposes to use braiding of collective excitations implanted in topologically protected coherent quantum states of many particles, as opposed to a single particle, to aid in or even perform quantum computation. Here we explicitly work out a realistic experimental scheme to create, braid and detect topological excitations in the Kitaev model built on a tunable robust system, a cold atom optical lattice. A key feature of topological excitations is their braiding statistics, how they behave when one excitation is taken around another. An observation of the non-trivial braiding statistics described in this Report would directly establish the existence of anyons, quantum particles which are neither fermions nor bosons. Demonstrating anyonic braiding statistics is tantamount to observing a new form of matter, topological matter. Once created, excitations in quantum topological matter, as opposed to delicate single particle quantum states, can provide a robust way to encode and manipulate quantum information.

–

Authors

  • Chuanwei Zhang

    CMTC, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742

  • Vito Scarola

    CMTC, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742

  • Sumanta Tewari

    Condensed Matter Theory Center, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, CMTC, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742

  • Sankar Das Sarma

    Condensed Matter Theory Center, Physics Department, University of Maryland, Condensed Matter Theory Center, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA, Condensed Matter Theory Center, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, University of Maryland, Condensed Matter Theory Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742-4111, USA, University of Maryland, College Park, CMTC, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, CMTC, Department of Physics, UMD, Maryland, Condensed Matter Theory Center, University of Maryland