Harmonic trap resonance enhanced synthetic atomic spin-orbit coupling

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a method to significantly enhance synthetic atomic spin-orbit coupling using a harmonic trap resonance with a gradient magnetic field, providing new insights into tuning SOC strength in quantum simulations.

Contribution

It introduces a tunable SOC method with a gradient magnetic field in a harmonic trap, achieving nearly ten-fold enhancement near trap resonance, supported by a developed theoretical model.

Findings

Nearly ten-fold increase in SOC strength near trap resonance

Theoretical model accurately explains experimental results

Provides a new approach to tune atomic SOC in quantum simulations

Abstract

Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) plays an essential role in many exotic and interesting phenomena in condensed matter physics. In neutral-atom-based quantum simulations, synthetic SOC constitutes a key enabling element. The strength of SOC realized so far is limited by various reasons or constraints. This work reports tunable SOC synthesized with a gradient magnetic field (GMF) for atoms in a harmonic trap. Nearly ten-fold enhancement is observed when the GMF is modulated near the harmonic-trap resonance in comparison with free-space atoms. A theory is developed that well explains the experimental results. Our work offers a clear physical insight into and analytical understanding of how to tune the strength of atomic SOC synthesized with GMF using harmonic trap resonance.