2012/12/19 by Norman Y. Yao, Alexey V. Gorshkov, Chris R. Laumann +5 · 214 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Atomic and Subatomic Physics Research #Chemical polarity #Cold Atom Physics and Bose-Einstein Condensates #Condensed matter physics #Dipole #Mott insulator #Optical lattice #Physics #Quantum mechanics #Realization (probability) #Spin (aerodynamics) #Spins #Topological Materials and Phenomena #Topology (electrical circuits) #cond-mat.quant-gas #cond-mat.str-el #quant-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.110.185302
published in Physical Review Letters 110(18), 185302 (American Physical Society) · 10 pages, 5 figures, 1 table
arxiv created 2012/12/19 · openalex publication_date 2013/04/29 · arxiv updated 2013/05/08 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Strongly correlated quantum systems can exhibit exotic behavior controlled by topology. We predict that the ν = 1/2 fractional Chern insulator arises naturally in a two-dimensional array of driven, dipolar-interacting spins. As a specific implementation, we analyze how to prepare and detect synthetic gauge potentials for the rotational excitations of ultracold polar molecules trapped in a deep optical lattice. With the motion of the molecules pinned, under certain conditions, these rotational excitations form a fractional Chern insulating state. We present a detailed experimental blueprint for its realization and demonstrate that the implementation is consistent with near-term capabilities. Prospects for the realization of such phases in solid-state dipolar systems are discussed as are their possible applications.