Tunable spin-orbit coupling for ultracold atoms in two-dimensional optical lattices

Grusdt, Fabian; Li, Tracy; Bloch, Immanuel und Demler, Eugene (2017): Tunable spin-orbit coupling for ultracold atoms in two-dimensional optical lattices. In: Physical Review A, Bd. 95, Nr. 6, 63617

Abstract

Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) is at the heart of many exotic band structures and can give rise to many-body states with topological order. Here we present a general scheme based on a combination of microwave driving and lattice shaking for the realization of two-dimensional SOC with ultracold atoms in systems with inversion symmetry. We show that the strengths of Rashba and Dresselhaus SOC can be independently tuned in a spin-dependent square lattice. More generally, our method can be used to open gaps between different spin states without breaking time-reversal symmetry. We demonstrate that this allows for the realization of topological insulators with nontrivial spin textures closely related to the Kane-Mele model.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Fakultät: Physik
• Themengebiete: 500 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik > 530 Physik
• ISSN: 2469-9926
• Sprache: Englisch