Quantum phases of a kagome-lattice Rydberg atom array
ORAL
Abstract
We analyze the zero-temperature phases of an array of neutral atoms on the kagome lattice, interacting via laser excitation to atomic Rydberg states. Density-matrix renormalization group calculations reveal the presence of a wide variety of complex solid phases with broken lattice symmetries. In addition, we identify a regime with dense Rydberg excitations that has a large entanglement entropy and no local order parameter associated with lattice symmetries. From a mapping to the triangular lattice quantum dimer model, and theories of quantum phase transitions out of the proximate solid phases, we argue that this regime could contain one or more phases with topological order. Our results provide the foundation for theoretical and experimental explorations of crystalline and liquid states using programmable quantum simulators based on Rydberg atom arrays.
*R.S. and S.S. were supported by the U.S. Department of Energy under Grant DE-SC0019030. W.W.H., H.P. and M.D.L. were supported by the U.S. Department of Energy under Grant DE-SC0021013, the Harvard–MIT Center for Ultracold Atoms, the Office of Naval Research, and the Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship. W.W.H. was additionally supported by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation's EPiQS Initiative, Grant No. GBMF4306, and the NUS Development Grant AY2019/2020.
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Publication: Samajdar, Rhine, Wen Wei Ho, Hannes Pichler, Mikhail D. Lukin, and Subir Sachdev, "Quantum phases of Rydberg atoms on a kagome lattice." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118(4), e2015785118 (2021).
Presenters
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Rhine Samajdar
- Harvard University