arXiv:0812.3812 · Physical Review A

Competing many-body interactions in systems of trapped ions

A. Bermúdez, Diego Porras, Miguel Angel Martin-Delgado

Published Jun 9, 2009• 53 citations

Abstract

We propose and theoretically analyze an experimental configuration in which lasers induce three-spin interactions between trapped ions. By properly choosing the intensities and frequencies of the lasers, three-spin couplings may be dominant or comparable to two-spin terms and magnetic fields. In this way, trapped ions can be used to study exotic quantum phases which do not have a counterpart in nature. We study the conditions for the validity of the effective three-spin Hamiltonian and predict qualitatively the quantum phase diagram of the system.

DOI: 10.1103/physreva.79.060303

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