Observation of chiral edge states with neutral fermions in synthetic Hall ribbons

Year: 2015

Authors: Mancini M., Pagano G., Cappellini G., Livi L., Rider M., Catani J., Sias C., Zoller P., Inguscio M., Dalmonte M., Fallani L.

Autors Affiliation: Univ Florence, Dept Phys & Astron, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; European Lab Nonlinear Spect LENS, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; Austrian Acad Sci, Inst Quantum Opt & Quantum Informat, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria; Univ Innsbruck, Inst Theoret Phys, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria; CNR, INO, Sez Sesto Fiorentino, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; Ist Nazl Ric Metrol INRIM, I-10135 Turin, Italy.

Abstract: Chiral edge states are a hallmark of quantum Hall physics. In electronic systems, they appear as a macroscopic consequence of the cyclotron orbits induced by a magnetic field, which are naturally truncated at the physical boundary of the sample. Here we report on the experimental realization of chiral edge states in a ribbon geometry with an ultracold gas of neutral fermions subjected to an artificial gauge field. By imaging individual sites along a synthetic dimension, encoded in the nuclear spin of the atoms, we detect the existence of the edge states and observe the edge-cyclotron orbits induced during quench dynamics. The realization of fermionic chiral edge states opens the door for edge state interferometry and the study of non-Abelian anyons in atomic systems.

Journal/Review: SCIENCE

Volume: 349 (6255)      Pages from: 1510  to: 1513

More Information: We thank A. Celi and P. Massignan for early stimulating discussions on the synthetic dimension approach. M.D. and M.R. thank C. Laflamme and A. Sterdyniak for discussions. The experimental work in Florence, Italy, was supported by European Union (EU) grant FP7 SIQS, Ministero dell\’Universita e della Ricerca (MIUR) grant PRIN2012 AQUASIM, and European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant DISQUA. The theoretical work in Innsbruck, Austria, was supported by ERC Synergy Grant UQUAM, SFB FoQuS of the Austrian Science Fund, and EU grant FP7 SIQS.
KeyWords: electron; electron spin resonance; electronic equipment; geometry; magnetic field; physical science; quantum mechanics, Article; chirality; cyclotron; fermion; gas; gauge; geometry; interferometry; magnetic field; phase transition; priority journal; quantum mechanics; synthesis; theoretical model, Abelia
DOI: 10.1126/science.aaa8736

ImpactFactor: 34.661
Citations: 572
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