Gauge theory simulation in optical lattices

by Alessio Celi (Institute of Photonic Sciences (Barcelona))

Wednesday 19 Jun 2013, 15:00 → 16:00 Europe/Rome

248 (First Floor, Building C)

After introducing the idea and the purposes of a Quantum Simulator, I will first (shortly) review the interest in and the way how to generate artificial external gauge field, e.g. a constant magnetic field, with cold atoms, mentioning the novel theoretical proposals and experimental achievements. This introductory part is ment to give an idea to which are the models that can be ``easily'' achieved with ultracold atoms, especially once loaded in optical lattice. Then, I will point out which kind of ``demanding'' interaction terms are needed in order to make the gauge field dynamical and impose the gauge invariance. I will introduce special lattice gauge theories known as gauge magnets, which are different but related Kogut-Susskind Hamiltonian formulation of usual Wilson's Lagrangian approach. I will explain while gauge magnets are better suited for a quantum simulator and present our proposal to realize it using Rydberg gates. In particular, I will show how the string tension between static charges can be measured in such simulator both for Abelian (U(1) and non-Abelian (SU(2)) gauge group. Finally, I will comment on the work(s) in progress towards a better understanding of gauge magnets' phase space. (Based on L. Tagliacozzo, A. Celi, P. Orland, M. Lewenstein, “Simulations of non- Abelian gauge theories with optical lattices,” [arXiv:1211.2704], to appear in Nature Communication, and L. Tagliacozzo, A. Celi, A. Zamora, M. Lewenstein, “Optical Abelian Lattice Gauge Theories,” Ann. Phys. 330 160 (2013) [arXiv:1205.0496].)