Exotic Quantum Spin Models in Spin-Orbit-Coupled Mott Insulators

ORAL

Abstract

We study cold atoms in an optical lattice with synthetic spin-orbit coupling in the Mott-insulator regime. We calculate the parameters of the corresponding tight-binding model using Peierls substitution and ``localized Wannier states method'' and derive the low-energy spin Hamiltonian for bosons and fermions. The spin Hamiltonian is a combination of Heisenberg model, quantum compass model and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions and it has a rich classical phase diagram with collinear, spiral and vortex phases. We discuss the state of the art of experiments to realize and detect magnetic orderings in strongly correlated optical lattices.

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Authors

  • Juraj Radic

    • University of Maryland, College Park
    • University of Maryland

  • Andrea Di Ciolo

    • University of Maryland, College Park and Georgetown University
    • Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland and Georgetown University

  • Kai Sun

    • University of Maryland, College Park and University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
    • U of Maryland and U of Michigan
    • Dept. of Physics, University of Michigan

  • Victor Galitski

    • University of Maryland, College Park
    • The University of Maryland College Park
    • Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland