Simulating spin-charge separation with light

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how stationary light-matter excitations in a hollow waveguide can simulate a two-component Lieb Liniger model, enabling the observation of spin-charge separation using current optical techniques.

Contribution

It introduces a method to realize and measure spin-charge separation in a photonic system using atomic interactions in a waveguide.

Findings

Simulation of a two-component Lieb Liniger model with light-matter excitations

Proposal for preparing and driving atomic systems to observe spin-charge separation

Feasibility of measuring spin and charge densities via optical methods

Abstract

In this work we show that stationary light-matter excitations generated inside a hollow one-dimensional waveguide filled with atoms, can be made to generate a photonic two-component Lieb Liniger model. We explain how to prepare and drive the atomic system to a strongly interacting regime where spin-charge separation could be possible. We then proceed by explaining how to measure the corresponding effective spin and charge densities and velocities through standard optical methods based in measuring dynamically the emitted photon intensities or by analyzing the photon spectrum. The relevant interactions exhibit the necessary tunability both to generate and efficiently observe spin charge separation with current technology.