# Quantum dimer models emerging from large-spin ultracold atoms

## TL;DR

This paper proposes a method using cold atoms in optical lattices to simulate quantum dimer models, enabling the exploration of exotic phases like spin liquids and resonating bonds that are difficult to study in solid-state systems.

## Contribution

It introduces an experimental protocol with large-spin ultracold atoms and derives an effective Hamiltonian similar to quantum dimer models, facilitating the study of complex quantum phases.

## Key findings

- Effective Hamiltonian similar to quantum dimer models
- Numerical analysis of ground states and phase tuning
- Protocol for direct measurement of dimer resonances

## Abstract

We propose an experimental protocol for using cold atoms to create and probe quantum dimer models, thereby exploring the Pauling-Anderson vision of a macroscopic collection of resonating bonds. This process can allow the study of exotic crystalline phases, fractionalization, topological spin liquids, and the relationship between resonating dimers and superconductivity subjects which have been challenging to address in solid-state experiments. Our key technical development is considering the action of an off-resonant photoassociation laser on large spin atoms localized at the sites of a deep optical lattice. The resulting superexchange interaction favors nearest-neighbor singlets. We derive an effective Hamiltonian in terms of these dimer degrees of freedom, finding that it is similar to well-known quantum dimer models, which boast a rich variety of valence bond crystal and spin liquid phases. We numerically study the ground state, explain how to tune the parameters, and develop a protocol to directly measure the dimers and their resonating patterns.