Artificial Gauge Field for Photons in Coupled Cavity Arrays

TL;DR

This paper introduces a method to create artificial gauge fields for photons in coupled cavity arrays, enabling the simulation of complex quantum phenomena like the Hofstadter butterfly spectrum in solid-state photonic systems.

Contribution

The authors propose a novel photonic structure that induces artificial gauge fields via polarization coupling, facilitating the study of gauge field effects in solid-state optics.

Findings

Feasibility of observing gauge field effects in optical spectra

Design of photonic structures with geometrical phase for tunneling

Potential to simulate quantum Hall effects with photons

Abstract

We propose and characterize solid-state photonic structures where light experiences an artificial gauge field. A suitable coupling of the propagation and polarization degrees of freedom introduces a geometrical phase for photons tunneling between adjacent sites of a coupled cavity array. We then discuss the feasibility of observing strong gauge field effects in the optical spectra of realistic systems, including the Hofstadter butterfly spectrum.