Experimental simulation of solid state phenomena using photonic lattices
The propagation of light waves across a periodic array of evanescently coupled optical waveguides can be described by a Schrodinger like equation for a particle in a periodic potential. This mapping allows us to investigate the dynamics of electrons in a crystalline solid using an artificial crystal of optical waveguides, known as a photonic lattice. The unique capabilities of ultrafast laser inscription enable us to design, fabricate and precisely control various properties of a photonic lattice. Here, we focus on the experimental construction of the Hamiltonians associated with various complex quantum systems using engineered photonic lattices, and then measure the time evolution of a given input state. In this photonic platform, we experimentally observe various single particle effects known from solid state physics, such as the localised states associated with flat band lattice geometries, localised Wannier Stark states, photon assisted tunnelling and the anomalous topological edge modes in slowly driven lattices. Specific phenomena associated with particle interactions, such as the dynamics of two interacting particles in a one dimensional lattice with static and sinusoidally driven Hubbard Hamiltonian, is also investigated. The experimental results presented here will be of interest to a large community, including physicists working on photonics, quantum optics, cold atomic gases, and condensed matter physics. To my parents, Shantwana and Sambit Mukherjee.