Controlling topological phases of matter with quantum light
Abstract
Controlling the topological properties of quantum matter is a major goal of condensed matter physics. A major effort in this direction has been devoted to using classical light in the form of Floquet drives to manipulate and induce states with non-trivial topology. A different route can be achieved with cavity photons. Here we consider a prototypical model for topological phase transition, the one-dimensional Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model, coupled to a single mode cavity. We show that quantum light can affect the topological properties of the system, including the finite-length energy spectrum hosting edge modes and the topological phase diagram. In particular we show that depending on the lattice geometry and the strength of light-matter coupling one can either turn a trivial phase into a topological one or viceversa using quantum cavity fields. Furthermore, we compute the polariton spectrum of the coupled electron-photon system, and we note that the lower polariton branch disappears at the topological transition point. This phenomenon can be used to probe the phase transition in the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model.
- Publication:
-
Communications Physics
- Pub Date:
- December 2022
- DOI:
- 10.1038/s42005-022-01049-0
- arXiv:
- arXiv:2204.05922
- Bibcode:
- 2022CmPhy...5..271D
- Keywords:
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- Condensed Matter - Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics;
- Condensed Matter - Quantum Gases;
- Condensed Matter - Strongly Correlated Electrons;
- Quantum Physics
- E-Print:
- 12 pages, 5 figures