Making Matter from Light: Photon Mott Insulators and Topological Fluids

Recent developments in quantum optics have enabled strong interactions between individual photons. I will describe work at the University of Chicago harnessing these tools to assemble quantum matter from light: in a collaboration between the Simon and Schuster labs, we have demonstrated dissipative stabilization of a Mott insulator of microwave photons, trapped in an array of transmon qubits; in the Simon lab we have demonstrated that a twisted optical resonator generates artificial magnetic fields for photons trapped within it; we have now employed Rydberg atoms to mediate interactions between these photons and are exploring topological fluids of light. From thermodynamics of driven equilibria to microscopy of entangled systems, photonic materials provide unique opportunities in few-to-many body physics.