Realization of a fractional quantum Hall state with ultracold atoms

Julian Léonard (), Sooshin Kim, Joyce Kwan, Perrin Segura, Fabian Grusdt, Cécile Repellin, Nathan Goldman and Markus Greiner
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Julian Léonard: Harvard University
Sooshin Kim: Harvard University
Joyce Kwan: Harvard University
Perrin Segura: Harvard University
Fabian Grusdt: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Cécile Repellin: Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, LPMMC
Nathan Goldman: Université Libre de Bruxelles
Markus Greiner: Harvard University

Nature, 2023, vol. 619, issue 7970, 495-499

Abstract: Abstract Strongly interacting topological matter1 exhibits fundamentally new phenomena with potential applications in quantum information technology2,3. Emblematic instances are fractional quantum Hall (FQH) states4, in which the interplay of a magnetic field and strong interactions gives rise to fractionally charged quasi-particles, long-ranged entanglement and anyonic exchange statistics. Progress in engineering synthetic magnetic fields5–21 has raised the hope to create these exotic states in controlled quantum systems. However, except for a recent Laughlin state of light22, preparing FQH states in engineered systems remains elusive. Here we realize a FQH state with ultracold atoms in an optical lattice. The state is a lattice version of a bosonic ν = 1/2 Laughlin state4,23 with two particles on 16 sites. This minimal system already captures many hallmark features of Laughlin-type FQH states24–28: we observe a suppression of two-body interactions, we find a distinctive vortex structure in the density correlations and we measure a fractional Hall conductivity of σH/σ0 = 0.6(2) by means of the bulk response to a magnetic perturbation. Furthermore, by tuning the magnetic field, we map out the transition point between the normal and the FQH regime through a spectroscopic investigation of the many-body gap. Our work provides a starting point for exploring highly entangled topological matter with ultracold atoms29–33.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06122-4

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