Engineering infinite-range SU($$\textit{n}$$) interactions with spin-orbit-coupled fermions in an optical lattice

Journal Article · 24 February 2022 · Physical Review A

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.105.023326 · OSTI ID:1969958

Perlin, Michael A.  ^[1]; Barberena, Diego  ^[1]; Mamaev, Mikhail ^[1]; Sundar, Bhuvanesh  ^[1]; Lewis-Swan, Robert J.  ^[2]; Rey, Ana Maria  ^[1]

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1. JILA, Boulder, CO (United States); National Inst. of Standards and Technology (NIST), Boulder, CO (United States); Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)
2. Univ. of Oklahoma, Norman, OK (United States)

Here, we study multilevel fermions in an optical lattice described by the Hubbard model with on-site SU($$\textit{n}$$) -symmetric interactions. We show that in an appropriate parameter regime this system can be mapped onto a spin model with all-to-all SU($$\textit{n}$$)-symmetric couplings. Raman pulses that address internal spin states modify the atomic dispersion relation and induce spin-orbit coupling, which can act as a synthetic inhomogeneous magnetic field that competes with the SU($$\textit{n}$$) exchange interactions. We investigate the mean-field dynamical phase diagram of the resulting model as a function of $$\textit{n}$$ and different initial configurations that are accessible with Raman pulses. Consistent with previous studies for $$\textit{n}$$ = 2 , we find that for some initial states the spin model exhibits two distinct dynamical phases that obey simple scaling relations with $$\textit{n}$$. Moreover, for $$\textit{n}$$ > 2 we find that dynamical behavior can be highly sensitive to initial intraspin coherences. Our predictions are readily testable in current experiments with ultracold alkaline-earth-metal(-like) atoms.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC); US Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR); Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA); US Army Research Office (ARO); National Science Foundation (NSF)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC02-05CH11231
• OSTI ID: 1969958
• Journal Information: Physical Review A, Journal Name: Physical Review A Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 105; ISSN 2469-9926
• Publisher: American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English