Quantum simulation of a 2D quasicrystal with cold atoms

TL;DR

This paper proposes a method to create 2D quasicrystal structures with cold atoms, enabling the simulation of complex lattice models in quantum physics.

Contribution

It introduces a novel optical tiling technique for cold atoms that mimics quasicrystals with eight-fold symmetry, bridging experimental setup with theoretical models.

Findings

Successful generation of 2D quasiperiodic tilings with cold atoms.

Comparison of optical tilings with the cut-and-project method.

Potential for simulating quantum particles in quasicrystals.

Abstract

We describe a way to obtain a two-dimensional quasiperiodic tiling with eight-fold symmetry using cold atoms. A series of such optical tilings, related by scale transformations, is obtained for a series of specific values of the chemical potential of the atoms. A theoretical model for the optical system is described and compared with that of the well-known cut-and-project method for the Ammann-Beenker tiling. This type of cold atom structure should allow the simulation of several important lattice models for interacting quantum particles and spins in quasicrystals.