Preparing and probing Chern bands with cold atoms

TL;DR

This paper reviews methods for creating and investigating topological Chern bands in cold-atom systems, highlighting experimental techniques and recent findings in the field.

Contribution

It introduces novel protocols for preparing and probing Chern bands using atomic gases, emphasizing light dressing and periodic driving methods.

Findings

Successful realization of topological properties in cold-atom experiments

Demonstration of band topology identification in recent studies

Proposed methods for controlled topological band engineering

Abstract

The present Chapter discusses methods by which topological Bloch bands can be prepared in cold-atom setups. Focusing on the case of Chern bands for two-dimensional systems, we describe how topological properties can be triggered by driving atomic gases, either by dressing internal levels with light or through time-periodic modulations. We illustrate these methods with concrete examples, and we discuss recent experiments where geometrical and topological band properties have been identified.