279557
Topological quantum phase transitions and edge states in spin-orbital coupled Fermi gases
We study superconducting states in the presence of spin-orbital coupling and Zeeman field. It is found that a phase transition from a Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov state to the topological superconducting state occurs upon increasing the spin-orbital coupling. The nature of this topological phase transition and its critical property are investigated numerically. Physical properties of the topological superconducting phase are also explored. Moreover, the local density of states is calculated, through which the topological feature may be tested experimentally.
197485150
Searching for New Topological Types of Majorana Fermions from Boundary-bulk Correspondence of Topological Insulators/Superconductors
Majorana fermions (MFs) are particles that are their own anti-particles and may satisfy non-Abelian statistics. For the past ten years, a kind of MFs have been theoretically predicted in one-dimensional superconducting models without the time-reversal symmetry (TRS), which has recently intrigued a huge experimental interest to search for this type of exotic particles. Here we report our theoretical discoveries, including (i) a general and quantitative relation between topological stabilities of Fermi surfaces (FSs) and topological insulators(TIs)/superconductors(TSCs) is rigorously established; (ii) based on (i), we find four topologically distinct types of MFs in fermionic systems that have at least the particle-hole symmetry (PHS); (iii) apart from the existing one type, three new types of topologically nontrivial gapless edge-modes (MFs) are revealed for the first time in one dimensional finite systems with both TP and (iv) all kinds of candidate models that potentially have MFs are presented, opening a wider door for searching MFs experimentally.
118521941
Relativistic quantum effects of Dirac particles simulated by ultracold atoms
Quantum simulation is a powerful tool to study a variety of problems in physics, ranging from high-energy physics to condensed-matter physics. In this article, we review the recent theoretical and experimental progress in quantum simulation of Dirac equation with tunable parameters by using ultracold neutral atoms trapped in optical lattices or subject to light-induced synthetic gauge fields. The effective theories for the quasiparticles become relativistic under certain conditions in these systems, making them ideal platforms for studying the exotic relativistic effects. We focus on the realization of one, two, and three dimensional Dirac equations as well as the detection of some relativistic effects, including particularly the well-known Zitterbewegung effect and Klein tunneling. The realization of quantum anomalous Hall effects is also briefly discussed.
56250567
Macroscopic Klein tunneling in spin-orbit-coupled Bose-Einstein condensates
We propose an experimental scheme to detect macroscopic Klein tunneling with spin-orbit coupled Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs). We show that a nonlinear Dirac equation with tunable parameters can be realized with such BECs. %in a simple configuration to generate the artificial spin-orbit coupling. Through numerical calculations, we demonstrate that macroscopic Klein tunneling can be clearly detected under realistic conditions. Macroscopic quantum coherence in such relativistic tunneling is clarified and a BEC with a negative energy is shown to be able to transmit transparently through a wide Gaussian potential barrier.
117851662
The emergence of Hopf term and the marginality of Dirac model
The subtle relation of the marginality of Dirac model and the emergence of the Hopf term through a Yukawa-type interaction is revealed in this work. We show that the improvement of the marginality of Dirac mode through an infinitesimal non-relativistic term, which is irrelevant for renormalization group, is necessary to emerge the Hopf term. It is found that the appearance of the Hopf term is always accompanied with chiral boundary modes, and the sign of the coupling constant of the infinitesimal non-relativistic term decides their chirality. A lattice Dirac model is also constructed to realize the Hopf term.
34602223
Probing non-abelian statistics of Majorana fermions in ultracold atomic superfluid.
We propose an experiment to directly probe the non-abelian statistics of Majorana fermions by braiding them in an s-wave superfluid of ultracold atoms. We show that different orders of braiding operations give orthogonal output states that can be distinguished through Raman spectroscopy. Realization of Majorana states in an s-wave superfluid requires strong spin-orbital coupling and a controllable Zeeman field in the perpendicular direction. We present a simple laser configuration to generate the artificial spin-orbital coupling and the required Zeeman field in the dark-state subspace.
11394439
Identifying topological order by entanglement entropy
Topological entanglement entropy provides a robust measure for detecting the long-range entanglement that characterizes quantum ground states displaying topological order. A new method for calculating this entropy isolates minimally entangled states from the ground states of a topological phase—offering a reliable test for identifying topological spin liquids.
119595710
Another derivation of Weinberg's formula
To investigate how quantum effects might modify special relativity, we will study a Lorentz transformation between classical and quantum reference frames and express it in terms of the four-dimensional (4D) momentum of the quantum reference frame. The transition from the classical expression of the Lorentz transformation to a quantum-mechanical one requires us to symmetrize the expression and replace all its dynamical variables with the corresponding operators, from which we can obtain the same conclusion as that from quantum field theory (given by Weinberg's formula): owing to the Heisenberg's uncertainty relation, a particle (as a quantum reference frame) can propagate over a spacelike interval.
55540815
Abelian and non-Abelian anyons in integer quantum anomalous Hall effect and topological phase transitions via superconducting proximity effect
We study the quantum anomalous Hall effect described by a class of two-component Haldane models on square lattices. We show that the latter can be transformed into a pseudospin triplet p + ip-wave paired superfluid. In the long wavelength limit, the ground-statewave function is described by Halperin's ( 1,1,-1) state of neutral fermions analogous to the double-layer quantum Hall effect. The vortex excitations are charge e/2 Abelian anyons which carry a neutral Dirac fermion zero mode. The superconducting proximity effect induces "tunneling" between "layers" which leads to topological phase transitions whereby the Dirac fermion zero mode fractionalizes and Majorana fermions emerge in the edge states. The charge e/2 vortex excitation carrying a Majorana zero mode is a non-Abelian anyon. The proximity effect can also drive a conventional insulator into a quantum anomalous Hall effect state with a Majorana edge mode and the non-Abelian vortex excitations.
21495965
Pressure-induced cubic to monoclinic phase transformation in erbium sesquioxide Er(2)O(3).
Cubic Er(2)O(3) was compressed in a symmetric diamond anvil cell at room temperature and studied in situ using energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction. A transition to a monoclinic phase began at 9.9 GPa and was complete at 16.3 GPa and was accompanied by a approximately 9% volume decrease. The monoclinic phase was stable up to at least 30 GPa and could be quenched to ambient conditions. The normalized lattice parameter compression data for both phases were fit to linear equations, and the volume compression data were fit to third-order Birch-Murnaghan equations of state. The zero-pressure isothermal bulk moduli (B(0)) and the first-pressure derivatives (B(0)') for the cubic and monoclinic phases were 200(6) GPa and 8.4 and also 202(2) GPa and 1.0, respectively. Ab initio density functional theory calculations were performed to determine optimized lattice parameters and atom positions for the cubic, monoclinic, and hexagonal phases of Er(2)O(3). The calculated X-ray spectra and predicted transition pressure are in good qualitative agreement with the experimental results.
120311946
Final state interactions in the decay B0 ---> eta(c)K*