We describe a new class of atom-laser coupling schemes which lead to spin-orbit-coupled Hamiltonians for ultracold neutral atoms. By properly setting the optical phases, a pair of degenerate pseudospin (a linear combination of internal atomic) states emerge as the lowest-energy eigenstates in the spectrum and are thus immune to collisionally induced decay. These schemes use $N$ cyclically coupled ground or metastable internal states. We focus on two situations: a three-level case and a four-level case, where the latter adds a controllable Dresselhaus contribution. We describe an implementation of the four-level scheme for ${}^{87}\text{Rb}$ and analyze its sensitivity to typical laboratory noise sources. Last, we argue that the Rashba Hamiltonian applies only in the large intensity limit since any laser coupling scheme will produce terms nonlinear in momentum that decline with intensity.We describe a new class of atom-laser coupling schemes which lead to spin-orbit-coupled Hamiltonians for ultracold neutral atoms. By properly setting the optical phases, a pair of degenerate pseudospin (a linear combination of internal atomic) states emerge as the lowest-energy eigenstates in the spectrum and are thus immune to collisionally induced decay. These schemes use $N$ cyclically coupled ground or metastable internal states. We focus on two situations: a three-level case and a four-level case, where the latter adds a controllable Dresselhaus contribution. We describe an implementation of the four-level scheme for ${}^{87}\text{Rb}$ and analyze its sensitivity to typical laboratory noise sources. Last, we argue that the Rashba Hamiltonian applies only in the large intensity limit since any laser coupling scheme will produce terms nonlinear in momentum that decline with intensity.

arXiv:1102.3945Physical Review AAug 30, 2011252 citations

Topological edge states in Rashba-Dresselhaus spin-orbit-coupled atoms in a Zeeman lattice

Chunyan Li, Fangwei Ye, Xinghong Chen +3 more

We address the impact of spin-orbit coupling on the existence and properties of topological edge states of cold neutral atoms and Bose-Einstein condensates loaded in honeycomb Zeeman lattices---lattices where the spinor components are placed in potentials having opposite signs. We find that the type of spin-orbit-coupling mechanism has profound effect on the emergence of topological edge states. We also reveal that edge states persist when interatomic interactions are present and that they become metastable in Bose-Einstein condensates.We address the impact of spin-orbit coupling on the existence and properties of topological edge states of cold neutral atoms and Bose-Einstein condensates loaded in honeycomb Zeeman lattices---lattices where the spinor components are placed in potentials having opposite signs. We find that the type of spin-orbit-coupling mechanism has profound effect on the emergence of topological edge states. We also reveal that edge states persist when interatomic interactions are present and that they become metastable in Bose-Einstein condensates.

Physical Review ADec 7, 201818 citations

Implementation of a spin-orbit coupling using Rydberg atoms

Antoine Browaeys

Apr 1, 20200 citations

Spin Orbit Coupling in a Spin-1 System

Ryan Price, Daniel Campbell, Andika Putra +2 more

Bulletin of the American Physical SocietyJun 5, 20140 citations

Dynamical generation of arbitrary spin-orbit couplings for neutral atoms

Zhi-Fang Xu, Li You

Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) can give rise to interesting physics, from spin Hall to topological insulators, in condensed matter systems. Recently, this topical area has extended into atomic quantum gases in searching for artificial or synthetic gauge potentials. The prospects of tunable interaction and quantum state control promote neutral atoms as nature's quantum emulators for SOC. Lin et al. recently demonstrated a special form of the SOC ${k}_{x}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{y}$, which they interpret as an equal superposition of Rashba and Dresselhaus couplings in Bose-condensed atoms [Lin, Jim\'enez-Garc\'{\i}a, and Spielman, Nature (London) 471, 83 (2011)]. This work reports a method of implementing arbitrary forms of SOC by switching between two pairs of Raman laser pulses like the method used by Lin et al. While one pair affects ${k}_{x}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{y}$ for some time, a second pair creates ${k}_{y}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{y}$ at other times with Raman pulses from different directions and a subsequent spin rotation into $\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}{k}_{y}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{x}$. With a sufficient number of pulses, the effective actions from different durations are small and accumulate in the same exponent despite the fact that ${k}_{x}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{y}$ and $\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}{k}_{y}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{x}$ do not commute. Our scheme involves no added complication and can be demonstrated within current experiments. It applies equally to bosonic or fermionic atoms.Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) can give rise to interesting physics, from spin Hall to topological insulators, in condensed matter systems. Recently, this topical area has extended into atomic quantum gases in searching for artificial or synthetic gauge potentials. The prospects of tunable interaction and quantum state control promote neutral atoms as nature's quantum emulators for SOC. Lin et al. recently demonstrated a special form of the SOC ${k}_{x}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{y}$, which they interpret as an equal superposition of Rashba and Dresselhaus couplings in Bose-condensed atoms [Lin, Jim\'enez-Garc\'{\i}a, and Spielman, Nature (London) 471, 83 (2011)]. This work reports a method of implementing arbitrary forms of SOC by switching between two pairs of Raman laser pulses like the method used by Lin et al. While one pair affects ${k}_{x}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{y}$ for some time, a second pair creates ${k}_{y}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{y}$ at other times with Raman pulses from different directions and a subsequent spin rotation into $\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}{k}_{y}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{x}$. With a sufficient number of pulses, the effective actions from different durations are small and accumulate in the same exponent despite the fact that ${k}_{x}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{y}$ and $\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}{k}_{y}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{x}$ do not commute. Our scheme involves no added complication and can be demonstrated within current experiments. It applies equally to bosonic or fermionic atoms.

arXiv:1110.5705Physical Review AApr 9, 201257 citations

N

cyclically coupled ground or metastable internal states. We focus on two situations: a three-level case and a four-level case, where the latter adds a controllable Dresselhaus contribution. We describe an implementation of the four-level scheme for

{}^{87}\text{Rb}

and analyze its sensitivity to typical laboratory noise sources. Last, we argue that the Rashba Hamiltonian applies only in the large intensity limit since any laser coupling scheme will produce terms nonlinear in momentum that decline with intensity.