Weyl Points in Three-Dimensional Optical Lattices: Synthetic Magnetic Monopoles in Momentum Space

Scientific paper - Original scientific paper

• Author: Tena Dubček
• Author: Colin J. Kennedy
• Author: Ling Lu
• Author: Wolfgang Ketterle
• Author: Marin Soljačić
• Author: Hrvoje Buljan
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Science; (Department of Physics)
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: NATURAL SCIENCES; Physics

Abstract (english)

We show that a Hamiltonian with Weyl points can be realized for ultracold atoms using laser-assisted tunneling in three-dimensional optical lattices. Weyl points are synthetic magnetic monopoles that exhibit a robust, three-dimensional linear dispersion, identical to the energy-momentum relation for relativistic Weyl fermions, which are not yet discovered in particle physics. Weyl semimetals are a promising new avenue in condensed matter physics due to their unusual properties such as the topologically protected “Fermi arc” surface states. However, experiments on Weyl points are highly elusive. We show that this elusive goal is well within experimental reach with an extension of techniques recently used in ultracold gases.

• Keywords (english): Weyl fermions; Weyl points; optical lattices; synthetic magnetism; ultracold atoms
• Language: english
• Publication type: Scientific paper - Original scientific paper
• Publication status: Published
• Peer review: Peer review - international
• Publication version: Published version
• Journal title: Physical Review Letters
• Numbering: vol. 114, no. 22, 225301
• p-ISSN: 0031-9007
• e-ISSN: 1079-7114
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.114.225301
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:217:254667
• Publication: 2015
• Document URL: http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.114.225301
• Type of resource: Text
• Access conditions: Open access
• Public note: Copyright (2015) by the American Physical Society. Received 24 December 2014; published 3 June 2015.
• Created on: 2020-01-11 19:51:03