Floquet approach to $\mathbb{Z}_{2}$ lattice gauge theories with ultracold atoms in optical lattices

Christian Schweizer; Fabian Grusdt; Moritz Berngruber; Luca Barbiero; Eugene Demler; Nathan Goldman; Immanuel Bloch; Monika Aidelsburger

doi:10.1038/s41567-019-0649-7

arXiv · 1901.07103

Floquet approach to $\mathbb{Z}_{2}$ lattice gauge theories with ultracold atoms in optical lattices

Christian Schweizer·Fabian Grusdt·Moritz Berngruber·Luca Barbiero·Eugene Demler·Nathan Goldman·Immanuel Bloch·Monika Aidelsburger

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Abstract

Quantum simulation has the potential to investigate gauge theories in strongly-interacting regimes, which are up to now inaccessible through conventional numerical techniques. Here, we take a first step in this direction by implementing a Floquet-based method for studying $\mathbb{Z}_2$ lattice gauge theories using two-component ultracold atoms in a double-well potential. For resonant periodic driving at the on-site interaction strength and an appropriate choice of the modulation parameters, the effective Floquet Hamiltonian exhibits $\mathbb{Z}_2$ symmetry. We study the dynamics of the system for different initial states and critically contrast the observed evolution with a theoretical analysis of the full time-dependent Hamiltonian of the periodically-driven lattice model. We reveal challenges that arise due to symmetry-breaking terms and outline potential pathways to overcome these limitations. Our results provide important insights for future studies of lattice gauge theories based on Floquet techniques.

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BibTeX RIS

Christian Schweizer, Fabian Grusdt, Moritz Berngruber, Luca Barbiero, Eugene Demler, Nathan Goldman, Immanuel Bloch, Monika Aidelsburger. 2019-01-21. Floquet approach to $\mathbb{Z}_{2}$ lattice gauge theories with ultracold atoms in optical lattices. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-019-0649-7

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