Dirac Spin Liquid Candidate in a Rydberg Quantum Simulator

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that Rydberg atom arrays can simulate and characterize a quantum spin liquid state, specifically a Dirac spin liquid, through adiabatic state preparation and correlation measurements.

Contribution

It provides experimental evidence supporting Rydberg atom arrays as a platform for realizing and studying quantum spin liquid candidates, aligning with theoretical models.

Findings

Observed transition from a staggered state to a disordered liquid

Measured correlations consistent with Dirac spin liquid predictions

Estimated entropy density comparable to frustrated magnetic insulators

Abstract

We experimentally investigate a frustrated spin-exchange antiferromagnet in a quantum simulator, composed of N = 114 dipolar Rydberg atoms arranged into a kagome array. Motivated by a recent theoretical proposal of a gapless U(1) Dirac spin liquid ground state, we use local addressing to adiabatically prepare low-energy states. We measure the local polarization and spin-spin correlations over this adiabatic protocol, and observe our system move from a staggered product state, through an intermediate magnetic crystal, and finally into a disordered, correlated liquid. We estimate the entropy density of this atomic liquid to be similar to that of frustrated magnetic insulators at liquid nitrogen temperatures. We compare the correlations in our liquid to those of a simple, parameter-free ansatz for the Dirac spin liquid, and find good agreement in the sign structure and spatial decay. Finally, we probe the static susceptibility of our system to a local field perturbation and to a geometrical distortion. Our results establish Rydberg atom arrays as a promising platform for the preparation and microscopic characterization of quantum spin liquid candidates.