Interaction-Induced Chiral Quantum States of the Ultracold Polar Molecules

The ultracold polar molecules with the tunable dipole-dipole interaction, not only would enable explorations of a large class of exotic many-body physics phenomena, but also could be used for quantum information processing. In the present paper we demonstrate that this dipole-dipole interaction can generate the degenerate chiral quantum states acting as a qubit robust against noise when the ultracold polar molecules are confined by a triangular lattice. Moreover, we also find two first-order quantum phase transitions by controlling an external driving field. One is the transition with the change of the different degenerate chiral quantum states. The other is the transition with the breaking of the degenerate quantum chiral states to the nondegenerate state. In experiment, these first-order quantum phase transitions can be detected by measuring the collective molecular population.     

超冷极性分子

目前对超冷原子的研究已经从最初的原子分子物理扩展到了物理的很多分支.极性分子可以将电偶极相互作用引入到超冷体系,同时分子又与原子类似,可以灵活地被光和其他电磁场操控,因而很多理论工作都预言了超冷极性分子在超冷化学、量子模拟和量子信息等领域会有重要的应用.但由于超冷基态分子的制备非常困难,如何把超冷物理从原子发展到分子还是一个方兴未艾的课题.过去的10年间,各种分子冷却技术都取得了很大突破,本文回顾了这些进展,并着重介绍了基于异核冷原子的磁缔合结合受激拉曼转移这一技术,该技术在制备高密度的基态碱金属超冷极性分子上取得了较大的成功.本文也总结了超冷极性碱金属分子基本碰撞特性研究的一些实验结果.     

Strongly correlated 2D quantum phases with cold polar molecules: controlling the shape of the interaction potential

We discuss techniques to tune and shape the long-range part of the interaction potentials in quantum gases of bosonic polar molecules by dressing rotational excitations with static and microwave fields. This provides a novel tool towards engineering strongly correlated quantum phases in combination with low-dimensional trapping geometries. As an illustration, we discuss the 2D superfluid-crystal quantum phase transition for polar molecules interacting via an electric-field-induced dipole-dipole potential.     

极性分子摆动态的三体量子关联

极性分子具有较长的相干时间和较强的偶极-偶极相互作用,因此它被视为量子信息处理的有效量子载体.基于分子摆动态作为量子比特,研究了处于热平衡状态下三极性分子线性链系统的三体量子关联特性,分析了三体负性熵纠缠度、测量诱导扰动和三体量子失协随与电场强度、分子电偶极矩、分子转动常数、偶极-偶极相互作用和温度等参数有关的三个无量纲变量之间的变化关系.研究表明:在其他参数给定的情况下,随电场强度的增加,三体量子关联均变小;随偶极-偶极相互作用强度的增大,三体量子关联先增加到峰值再逐渐变小;温度越高,负性熵纠缠度和三体量子失协越小,但测量诱导扰动随温度的改变在电场强度和偶极-偶极相互作用影响下呈现不同的变化趋势.此外,通过调节电场强度、偶极-偶极相互作用和温度,可改变与操控极性分子摆动态的三体量子关联.     

Manipulating atoms and molecules with evanescent-wave mirrors

We explore how atoms and polar molecules can be manipulated using evanescent-wave mirrors (EWM). We review the simpler case of ultracold atoms incident on EWM, and show that quantum effects such as tunneling, above barrier reflection, and Casimir retardation corrections, can be probed. We show that it is possible to enhance significantly quantum effects by engineering sharp features in the effective atom-EWM potential. We illustrate the concept with a bichromatic EWM created by using red and blue detuned lasers. Finally, we extend the treatment to ultracold diatomic polar molecules. Quantum reflection and molecular state selection are demonstrated under attainable physical conditions. By facilitating the manipulation and trapping of ultracold molecules, such molecular mirrors could have several applications, e.g., as devices to filter and select state for ultracold chemistry, or to manipulate states for quantum information processing.     

Quantum superchemistry of de Broglie waves: New wonderland at ultracold temperature

The experimental realization of atomic Bose-Einstein condensation at ultracold temperature has led to rapid advances in creating and manipulating cold molecules, and which has given birth to a new research field of quantum matter-wave superchemistry. Contrary to the classical Arrhenius law, the tunneling-dominated ultracold reactions can be realized through the highly-controlled magneto-optical technique. Novel quantum effects have been identified in these cold reactions, such as the super-selectivity rule in dissociating triatomic molecules, and the quantum size (vessel-shape) effect. In this review, we focus on a variety of new achievements in this fascinating matter-wave wonderland, including the quantum finite-number effect and double-slit interference in assembling cold molecules, the quantum noise in triggering collective abstraction reaction, and the magnetic phase transition in a laser-catalyzed quantum spin-mixing gas. The practical applications of matter-wave superchemistry are also introduced, such as the optical information storage via quantum photo-association, and the laser-enhanced creation of spinor or even chiral molecules.     

Quantum zigzag transition in ion chains

A string of trapped ions at zero temperature exhibits a structural phase transition to a zigzag structure, tuned by reducing the transverse trap potential or the interparticle distance. The transition is driven by transverse, short wavelength vibrational modes. We argue that this is a quantum phase transition, which can be experimentally realized and probed. Indeed, by means of a mapping to the Ising model in a transverse field, we estimate the quantum critical point in terms of the system parameters, and find a finite, measurable deviation from the critical point predicted by the classical theory. A measurement procedure is suggested which can probe the effects of quantum fluctuations at criticality. These results can be extended to describe the transverse instability of ultracold polar molecules in a one-dimensional optical lattice.     

Evanescent-wave mirror for ultracold diatomic polar molecules

We describe the interaction of an ultracold diatomic polar molecule with an evanescent-wave mirror. Several features of this system are explored, such as the coupling between internal rovibrational states of the molecule and the laser field. Numerical simulations show quantum reflection and state selection under attainable physical conditions. Such molecular optics components will facilitate the manipulation and trapping of ultracold molecules, and might serve in future applications in several fields, e.g., as devices to filter and select a state for ultracold chemistry, to measure extremely low temperatures of molecules, or to manipulate states for quantum information processing.     

Collisional control of ground state polar molecules and universal dipolar scattering

We explore the impact of the short-range interaction on the scattering of ground state polar molecules and study the transition from a weak to strong dipolar scattering over an experimentally reasonable range of energies and electric field values. In the strong dipolar limit, the scattering scales with respect to a dimensionless quantity defined by mass, induced dipole moment, and collision energy. The scaling has implications for all quantum mechanical dipolar scattering. Furthermore the universal scattering regime will readily be achieved with polar molecules at ultracold temperatures.     

Prospects for making polar molecules with microwave fields

We propose a mechanism to produce ultracold polar molecules with microwave fields. It converts trapped ultracold atoms into vibrationally excited molecules by a single microwave transition and entirely depends on the existence of a permanent dipole moment in the molecules. As opposed to production of molecules by photoassociation or magnetic-field Feshbach resonances, our method does not rely on properties of excited states or existence of Feshbach resonances. We determine conditions for optimal creation of polar molecules in vibrationally excited states of the ground-state potential by changing frequency and intensity of the microwave field. We also explore the possibility to produce vibrationally cold molecules by combining the microwave field with an optical Raman transition or by applying a microwave field to Feshbach molecules. The production mechanism is illustrated for KRb and RbCs.     

Population redistribution in optically trapped polar molecules

We investigate the rovibrational population redistribution of polar molecules in the electronic ground state induced by spontaneous emission and blackbody radiation. As a model system we use optically trapped LiCs molecules formed by photoassociation in an ultracold two-species gas. The population dynamics of vibrational and rotational states is modeled using an ab initio electric dipole moment function and experimental potential energy curves. Comparison with the evolution of the v″ = 3 electronic ground state yields good qualitative agreement. The analysis provides important input to assess applications of ultracold LiCs molecules in quantum simulation and ultracold chemistry.     

磁光阱中超冷钠-铯原子碰撞的实验研究

研究了磁光阱中异核超冷钠铯原子的碰撞机理, 测量了超冷钠原子的碰撞损失率, 得到了钠-铯原子的碰撞损失系数β_Na-Cs与钠原子俘获光强度之间的关系. 利用多普勒模型计算了不同俘获光强度下的钠原子磁光阱的阱深, 得到了临界光强的理论值, 与实验结果符合得较好.     

Spin-orbit coupling in Bose-Einstein condensate and degenerate Fermi gases

We review our recent experimental realization and investigation of a spin orbit （SO） coupled Bose Einstein condensate （BEC） and quantum degenerate Fermi gas. By using two counter-propagathlg Ranlan lasers and controlling the different frequency of two R,aman lasers to engineer the atom light interaction, we first study the SO coupling in BEC. Then we study SO coupling in Fermi gas. We, observe the spin dephasing in spin dynamics and momentum distribution asymmetry of the equilibrium state as halhnarks of SO coupling in a Fermi gas. To clearly reveal the, property of SO coupling Fermi gas, we also study the momentmn-resolved radio-frequency spectroscopy which characterizes the energy momentum dispersion and spin composition of the quantum states. We observe the change of errmion surfaces in different helieity branches with different atomic density, which indicates that a Lifshitz transition of the Fermi surface topology change can be found by further cooling the system. At last, we study the momentum-resolved Raman spectroscopy of an ultracoht Fermi gas.     

Metastable states of a gas of dipolar bosons in a 2D optical lattice

We investigate the physics of dipolar bosons in a two-dimensional optical lattice. It is known that due to the long-range character of dipole-dipole interaction, the ground state phase diagram of a gas of dipolar bosons in an optical lattice presents novel quantum phases, like checkerboard and supersolid phases. In this Letter, we consider the properties of the system beyond its ground state, finding that it is characterized by a multitude of almost degenerate metastable states, often competing with the ground state. This makes dipolar bosons in a lattice similar to a disordered system and opens possibilities of using them as quantum memories.     

One-dimensional Rydberg gas in a magnetoelectric trap

We study the quantum properties of Rydberg atoms in a magnetic Ioffe-Pritchard trap which is superimposed by a homogeneous electric field. Trapped Rydberg atoms can be created in long-lived electronic states exhibiting a permanent electric dipole moment of several hundred Debye. The resulting dipole-dipole interaction in conjunction with the radial confinement is demonstrated to give rise to an effectively one-dimensional ultracold Rydberg gas with a macroscopic interparticle distance. We derive analytical expressions for the electric dipole moment and the required linear density of Rydberg atoms.     

Chiral splitting of Kondo peak in triangular triple quantum dot

New characteristics of the Kondo effect, arising from spin chirality induced by the Berry phase in the equilibrium state, are investigated. The analysis is based on the hierarchical equations of motion (HEOM) approach in a triangular triple quantum-dot (TTQD) structure. In the absence of magnetic field, TTQD has four-fold degenerate chiral ground states with degenerate spin chirality. When a perpendicular magnetic field is applied, the chiral interaction is induced by the magnetic flux threading through TTQD and the four-fold degenerate states split into two chiral state pairs. The chiral excited states manifest as chiral splitting of the Kondo peak in the spectral function. The theoretical analysis is confirmed by the numerical computations. Furthermore, under a Zeeman magnetic field B, the chiral Kondo peak splits into four peaks, owing to the splitting of spin freedom. The influence of spin chirality on the Kondo effect signifies an important role of the phase factor. This work provides insight into the quantum transport of strongly correlated electronic systems.     

Influence of dipole-dipole correlations on the stability of the biaxial nematic phase in the model bent-core liquid crystal

A molecular theory of biaxial nematic ordering in the system of bent-core molecules has been developed in the two-particle cluster approximation which enables one to take into account short-range polar correlations determined by both electrostatic dipole-dipole interaction and polar molecular shape. All orientational order parameters and short-range correlation functions are calculated numerically as functions of temperature in the uniaxial and in the biaxial nematic phases, and the results are compared with the ones obtained in the mean-field approximation and in the cluster approximation but without taking into consideration the dipole-dipole interaction. It is shown that short-range polar correlations and, in particular, the dipole-dipole correlations dramatically increase the temperature of the transition into the biaxial nematic phase and enhancing its stability range. The results are also very sensitive to the value of the opening angle of a model bent-core molecule.     

Density waves in layered systems with fermionic polarmolecules

A layered system of two-dimensional planes containing fermionic polar molecules can potentially realize a number of exotic quantum many-body states. Among the predictions, are density-wave instabilities driven by the anisotropic part of the dipole-dipole interaction in a single layer. However, in typical multilayer setups it is reasonable to expect that the onset and properties of a density-wave are modified by adjacent layers. Here we show that this is indeed the case. For multiple layers the critical strength for the density-wave instability decreases with the number of layers. The effect depends on density and is more pronounced in the low density regime. The lowest solution of the instability corresponds to the density waves in the different layers being in-phase, whereas higher solutions have one or several adjacent layers that are out of phase. The parameter regime needed to explore this instability is within reach of current experiments.     

两二能级原子在共同环境下的量子关联动力学

通过精确求解带有偶极-偶极相互作用的两个二能级原子与一个共同热库相互作用模型, 得到了两原子间量子纠缠和量子失谐(quantum discord)的解析表达式. 综合考虑了环境的非马尔可夫效应、原子间的偶极-偶极相互作用以及原子的本征频率同腔模中心频率之间的失谐量对两原子间量子纠缠和quantum discord的影响. 研究显示: 在非马尔可夫机制下, 且原子的本征频率与腔模中心频率是共振时, 当两原子初态处于纠缠态时, 原子间偶极-偶极相互作用可以显著抑制包括量子纠缠和quantum discord等量子关联的衰减, 更特别的是, 如果原子的本征频率同腔模中心频率有一定的失谐时, 利用原子间偶极-偶极相互作用可大大地延长两原子退纠缠的时间; 当两原子初态处于可分离态时, 从短时间来看, 原子间偶极-偶极相互作用可以提高量子纠缠和quantum discord振荡的振幅,而在长时间极限下, 原子间偶极-偶极相互作用不会改变量子纠缠和quantum discord达到的稳定值. 最后, 讨论了原子间偶极-偶极相互作用对量子纠缠和quantum discord动力学不同的影响. 关键词： 量子纠缠 量子失谐 共同环境 偶极-偶极相互作用     

Quantum computation with trapped polar molecules

We propose a novel physical realization of a quantum computer. The qubits are electric dipole moments of ultracold diatomic molecules, oriented along or against an external electric field. Individual molecules are held in a 1D trap array, with an electric field gradient allowing spectroscopic addressing of each site. Bits are coupled via the electric dipole-dipole interaction. Using technologies similar to those already demonstrated, this design can plausibly lead to a quantum computer with greater, approximately > or = 10(4) qubits, which can perform approximately 10(5) CNOT gates in the anticipated decoherence time of approximately 5 s.