Quantum simulators: from photonic to atomic

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The main goals of the field of 'Quantum Simulations' are (1) to find solutions to intractable problems in physics by implementing analogous systems that can be exquisitely tuned and analyzed; (2) observe and understand novel phenomena in the 'simulator' system that may be inaccessible or poorly understood in the original, and (3) generate new ideas relevant to quantum systems. As many of these phenomena are motivated by problems in condensed matter physics, simulator systems should be described by lattices and be made analogous to the behavior of electrons in the crystal lattice of a solid. We propose to do that in photonic latticesand in lattices made of atoms. In the context of quantum simulators, these two systems share many common featires, even though the experimental settings are distinct. We propose to our photonic and atomic systems to work on common goals and explore close related physics. Close interaction between our group will enrich our ability to pursure ambitoius goals and undoubtedly lead to new ideas. In doing that, it will benefit the whole community of reserchers working on many-body physics and quantum simulators.Our groups have pioneered the experimental study of waves and quantum dynamics in lattices both in photonics (arrays of coupled waveguides) and in matter-waves (ultracold atoms in periodic potentials induced by light). Photonic lattices have given rise to new physics ranging from the first observation of discrete solitons and realization of spatially-entangled quantum walks to the first observation of Anderson localization in disordered lattices and the first realization of photonic topological insulators. Lattices of ultracold atoms yielded deep insights in many-body condensed matter problems, including the observation of the superfluid toMott insulating transition, the realization of the BEC-BCS crossover and the generation of novel many-body phases with long-range interactions. Photonic systems can exhibit physics that may be impossible to implement otherwise, such as highly controllable disorder, high degree of coherence for quantum effects, non-Hermiticity through optical gain and loss, as well as strong interactions via the nonlinearity of the ambient material. Likewise, matter waves lattices offer exciting possibilities to study many-body physics driven by interactions at the single particle level. Recently, it has also become possible to image and control atoms in optical lattices with single site resolution and single atom sensitivity, thereby offering completely new ways to explore quantum many-body systems. Taken together, these systems offer exquisitely tailorable and flexible platforms as simulators for a plethora of lattice effects that may be linear, nonlinear, intrinsically quantum, interacting, and/or many-body. Here, we propose an ambitious list of next-generation problems and challenges, to be addressed with both atomic and photonic quantum simulators. (...)