Observation of Interaction-Induced Mobility Edge in an Atomic Aubry-André Wire

Chebyshev polynomial approach to Loschmidt echo: Application to quench dynamics in two-dimensional quasicrystals

The understanding of quantum phase transitions in disordered or quasicrystal media is a central issue in condensed matter physics. In this paper we investigate localization properties of the two-dimensional Aubry-André model. We find that the system exhibits self-duality for the transformation between position and momentum spaces at a critical quasiperiodic potential, leading to an energy-independent Anderson transition. Most importantly, we present the implementation of an efficient and accurate algorithm based on the Chebyshev polynomial expansion of the Loschmidt echo, which characterizes the nonequilibrium dynamics of quantum quenched quasiperiodic systems. We analytically prove that the system under quench dynamics displays dynamical quantum phase transitions and further provide numerical verification by computing the polynomial expansion of the Loschmidt echo. Our results may provide insight into the realization of electronic transport in experiments.

Dissipation-Induced Extended-Localized Transition

A mobility edge (ME), representing the critical energy that distinguishes between extended and localized states, is a key concept in understanding the transition between extended (metallic) and localized (insulating) states in disordered and quasiperiodic systems. Here we explore the impact of dissipation on a quasiperiodic system featuring MEs by calculating steady-state density matrix and analyzing quench dynamics with sudden introduction of dissipation. We demonstrate that dissipation can lead the system into specific states predominantly characterized by either extended or localized states, irrespective of the initial state. Our results establish the use of dissipation as a new avenue for inducing transitions between extended and localized states and for manipulating dynamic behaviors of particles.

Quantum criticality of generalized Aubry-André models with exact mobility edges using fidelity susceptibility

In this study, we explore the quantum critical phenomena in generalized Aubry-André models, with a particular focus on the scaling behavior at various filling states. Our approach involves using quantum fidelity susceptibility to precisely identify the mobility edges in these systems. Through a finite-size scaling analysis of the fidelity susceptibility, we are able to determine both the correlation-length critical exponent and the dynamical critical exponent at the critical point of the generalized Aubry-André model. Based on the Diophantine equation conjecture, we can determines the number of subsequences of the Fibonacci sequence and the corresponding scaling functions for a specific filling fraction, as well as the universality class. Our findings demonstrate the effectiveness of employing the generalized fidelity susceptibility for the analysis of unconventional quantum criticality and the associated universal information of quasiperiodic systems in cutting-edge quantum simulation experiments.

Resolved Raman sideband cooling of a single optically trapped cesium atom

We developed a resolved Raman sideband cooling scheme that can efficiently prepare a single optically trapped cesium (Cs) atom in its motional ground states. A two-photon Raman process between two outermost Zeeman sublevels in a single hyperfine state is applied to reduce the phonon number. Our scheme is less sensitive to the variation in the magnetic field than the commonly used scheme where the two outermost Zeeman sublevels belonging to the two separate ground hyperfine states are taken. Fast optical pumping with less spontaneous emission guarantees the efficiency of the cooling process. After cooling for 50 ms, 82% of the Cs atoms populate their three-dimensional ground states. Our scheme improves the long-term stability of Raman sideband cooling in the presence of magnetic field drift and is thus suitable for cooling other trapped atoms or ions with abundant magnetic sublevels.

Observation of frustrated chiral dynamics in an interacting triangular flux ladder

Quantum matter interacting with gauge fields, an outstanding paradigm in modern physics, underlies the description of various physical systems. Engineering artificial gauge fields in ultracold atoms offers a highly controllable access to the exotic many-body phenomena in these systems, and has stimulated intense interest. Here we implement a triangular flux ladder in the momentum space of ultracold 133Cs atoms, and study the chiral dynamics under tunable interactions. Through measurements of the site-resolved density evolutions, we reveal how the competition between interaction and flux in the frustrated triangular geometry gives rise to flux-dependent localization and biased chiral dynamics. For the latter in particular, the symmetry between the two legs is dynamically broken, which can be attributed to frustration. We then characterize typical dynamic patterns using complementary observables. Our work opens the avenue toward exploring correlated transport in frustrated geometries, where the interplay between interactions and gauge fields plays a key role.

Exact New Mobility Edges between Critical and Localized States

The disorder systems host three types of fundamental quantum states, known as the extended, localized, and critical states, of which the critical states remain being much less explored. Here we propose a class of exactly solvable models which host a novel type of exact mobility edges (MEs) separating localized states from robust critical states, and propose experimental realization. Here the robustness refers to the stability against both single-particle perturbation and interactions in the few-body regime. The exactly solvable one-dimensional models are featured by a quasiperiodic mosaic type of both hopping terms and on-site potentials. The analytic results enable us to unambiguously obtain the critical states which otherwise require arduous numerical verification including the careful finite size scalings. The critical states and new MEs are shown to be robust, illustrating a generic mechanism unveiled here that the critical states are protected by zeros of quasiperiodic hopping terms in the thermodynamic limit. Further, we propose a novel experimental scheme to realize the exactly solvable model and the new MEs in an incommensurate Rydberg Raman superarray. This Letter may pave a way to precisely explore the critical states and new ME physics with experimental feasibility.

Nonreciprocal dynamics of noninteracting ultracold atoms in a momentum lattice

Realization of nonreciprocal transport is of great importance in the development of devices and systems that require the directional manipulation of signals or particles in information processing and modern physics. For ultracold atomic systems, the approaches based on synthetic dimensions have led to rapid advances in engineering quantum transport. Here, we use laser-coupled discrete momentum states of noninteracting ultracold atoms to synthesize a momentum lattice, and construct a closed ring with controllable tunneling phase in the momentum lattice. We measure the density evolution of atoms in the synthetic lattice with the single-site resolution, and observe the nonreciprocal dynamics by controlling the tunneling phase. We show the effect of both the applied phase and the coupling strength between two distinct population regions on the population distribution of atoms in the momentum lattice, and provide the optimal parameters for achieving the nonreciprocal transport.

Critical state generators from perturbed flatbands

One-dimensional all-bands-flat lattices are networks with all bands being flat and highly degenerate. They can always be diagonalized by a finite sequence of local unitary transformations parameterized by a set of angles θi. In a previous work, we demonstrated that quasiperiodic perturbations of a specific one-dimensional all-bands-flat lattice give rise to a critical-to-insulator transition and fractality edges separating critical from localized states. In this study, we generalize these studies and results to the entire manifold of all-bands-flat models and study the effect of the quasiperiodic perturbation on the entire manifold. For weak perturbation, we derive an effective Hamiltonian and we identify the sets of manifold parameters for which the effective model maps to extended or off diagonal Harper models and hosts critical states. For all the other parameter values, the spectrum is localized. Upon increasing the perturbation strength, the extended Harper model evolves into a system with energy dependent critical-to-insulator transitions, which we dub fractality edges. Additionally, the fractality edges are perturbation-independent, i.e., remain constant as the perturbation strength varies. The case where the effective model maps onto the off diagonal Harper model features a tunable critical-to-insulator transition at a finite disorder strength.

Testing universality of Feynman-Tan relation in interacting Bose gases using high-order Bragg spectra

The Feynman-Tan relation, obtained by combining the Feynman energy relation with the Tan's two-body contact, can explain the excitation spectra of strongly interacting ³⁹K Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). Since the shift of excitation resonance in the Feynman-Tan relation is inversely proportional to atomic mass, the test of whether this relation is universal for other atomic systems is significant for describing the effect of interaction in strongly correlated Bose gases. Here we measure the high-momentum excitation spectra of ¹³³Cs BEC with widely tunable interactions by using the second- and third-order Bragg spectra. We observe the backbending of frequency shift of excitation resonance with increasing interaction, and even the shift changes its sign under the strong interactions in the high-order Bragg spectra. Our finding shows good agreement with the prediction based on the Feynman-Tan relation. Our results provide significant insights for understanding the profound properties of strongly interacting Bose gases.

Aharonov-Bohm Caging and Inverse Anderson Transition in Ultracold Atoms

Aharonov-Bohm (AB) caging, a special flat-band localization mechanism, has spurred great interest in different areas of physics. AB caging can be harnessed to explore the rich and exotic physics of quantum transport in flatband systems, where geometric frustration, disorder, and correlations act in a synergetic and distinct way than that in ordinary dispersive band systems. In contrast to the ordinary Anderson localization, where disorder induces localization and prevents transport, in flat band systems disorder can induce mobility, a phenomenon dubbed inverse Anderson transition. Here, we report on the experimental realization of the AB cage using a synthetic lattice in the momentum space of ultracold atoms with tailored gauge fields, and demonstrate the geometric localization due to the flat band and the inverse Anderson transition when correlated binary disorder is added to the system. Our experimental platform in a many-body environment provides a fascinating quantum simulator where the interplay between engineered gauge fields, localization, and topological properties of flat band systems can be finely explored.