Reproducing spin lattice models in strongly coupled atom-cavity systems

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how coupled atom-cavity systems can simulate various spin models and topological effects, offering a versatile platform for quantum simulation of condensed matter phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces a method to realize multiple spin models in atom-cavity arrays with arbitrary geometries, enabling simulation of complex quantum systems.

Findings

Construction of spin-1/2 Ising, XX, Heisenberg, and XXZ models in atom-cavity systems

Ability to simulate topological effects with arbitrary network geometries

Control over spin dimension and mixture through excitation tuning

Abstract

In an array of coupled cavities where the cavities are doped with an atomic V-system, and the two excited levels couple to cavity photons of different polarizations, we show how to construct various spin models employed in characterizing phenomena in condensed matter physics, such as the spin-1/2 Ising, XX, Heisenberg, and XXZ models. The ability to construct networks of arbitrary geometry also allows for the simulation of topological effects. By tuning the number of excitations present, the dimension of the spin to be simulated can be controlled, and mixtures of different spin types produced. The facility of single-site addressing, the use of only the natural hopping photon dynamics without external fields, and the recent experimental advances towards strong coupling, makes the prospect of using these arrays as efficient quantum simulators promising.