Engineered Strongly-Interacting Lattice Models with Atomic Quantum Simulators

Locality is a transversal principle that governs quantum dynamics of many-body systems. However, for cavity embedded systems, such fundamental notion is hindered by the presence of non-local cavity modes, leaving space for new possible dynamical behaviors. In this talk, I will discuss our recent results [1] on ground state and real-time dynamics of a one dimensional Rydberg atom array coupled to a global cavity mode. The effective Hamiltonian of the system is a Tavis-Cummings-Ising model, whose phase diagram shows competition between a confined phase and U(1) spontaneous symmetry broken phase. I will focus on the low-energy excitations of the confined phase and argue that the non-local nature of the cavity mode drastically affects the emergent meson and string dynamics expected in locally interacting theories. Mesons hybridize coherently with cavity photons, leading to composite meson-polaritons excitations. Strings instead can acquire a finite kinetic energy thanks to non-local cavity-mediated interactions, contrary to standard local theories. In the end, I will address the effect of photon losses and discuss possible concrete experimental regimes.

The platforms hosting synthetic quantum matter are known to exhibit a plethora of exotic many-body phenomena. The possibility of engineering different types of interactions and couplings has attracted significant attention, enabling the exploration of a variety of strongly correlated phases that are otherwise difficult to investigate. We are particularly interested in the nuances of unconventional pairing in low-dimensional interacting systems, among other quantum phases of matter [1,2,3]. We have inquired into the emergence of d-wave pairing, along with the formation of d-wave Bose liquids [1,2] and non-Fermi liquids [3], in different setups: trapped ions [1], cold atoms [2], and/or Fermi-Hubbard simulators [3]. Our study examines how these systems can provide new insights into correlated phases of matter. [1] Ring-exchange physics in a chain of three-level ions, Sourav Biswas, E. Rico, and Tobias Grass, Quantum 9, 1683 (2025). [2] Frustrated Bose ladder with extended range density-density interaction, Sourav Biswas, E. Rico, and Tobias Grass, Phys. Rev. B 112, 115122 (2025). [3] Controlled pairing symmetries in a Fermi-Hubbard ladder with band flattening, J. P. Mendonça, Sourav Biswas, M. Dziurawiec, U. Bhattacharya, K. Jachymski, M. Aidelsburger, M. Lewenstein, M. M. Maśka, T. Grass, arXiv:2512.20689 (2025).

We present a widely accessible and experimentally realisable technique for the controlled creation of dark-bright solitons and soliton lattices in atomic Bose-Einstein condensates. The method is based on preparing the condensate in a dark state of a \$Lambda$-coupled three-level system [1]. Numerical simulations reveal that individual dark-bright solitons created through this scheme can survive over experimentally accessible timescales, even when the coupling laser fields are switched off [2]. Meanwhile, the fate of soliton lattices upon the quench of the fields depends on the scattering lengths: the lattice is found to persist on timescales comparable to the condensate lifetime only when the scattering lengths are all equal. The present dark-state-based technique also opens up new avenues for exploring unconventional vortices in two-component BECs. Using light beams with orbital angular momentum, we theoretically show how to create a stable, pinned vortex configuration, where the rotating component is confined to the region surrounded by the second, non-rotating component [3]. The atoms constituting this vortex can be localised in volumes much smaller than the volume occupied by the second component. We also show that the vortex position can be changed dynamically by moving the laser beams, provided the beams' movement speed remains below the speed of sound. This allows us to use the localised vortex to stir the second component, and to determine the superfluid flow's critical velocity. [1] G. Juzeliunas et al., Phys. Rev. A 71, 053614 (2005). [2] Y. Braver et al., in preparation. [3] Y. Braver et al., Phys. Rev. A 112, 033301 (2025).

In their seminal 1998 paper, D. Jaksch et al. made the first concrete proposal to use ultracold atoms in optical lattices as quantum simulators of strongly correlated lattice models. This vision was experimentally realized four years later by M. Greiner et al. Since then, the quantum simulation toolbox has expanded dramatically, with many major advances including the engineering of synthetic gauge fields via laser-assisted tunneling and the realization of long-range interactions using dipolar atoms and molecules. Here, I will present two theoretical works that explore further extensions of this toolbox enabled by state-dependent subwavelength lattices. In the first work, we consider a possible alternative to current setups - a recently realized subwavelength lattice formed by a pair of counter-propagating lasers driving two photon Raman transitions in an ensemble of ultracold atoms. It was shown that one may precisely control the tunneling amplitude, range, and phase by tuning the detunings. The proposed scheme also achieves significantly stronger interactions due to its subwavelength nature. Thus, one may realize intriguing phases of matter, such as density waves and chiral superfluids. Our results show several possible scenarios may occur, depending on the lattice depth and detunings. In the second work, we demonstrate that coupling ultracold atoms in a particular $\Lambda$ scheme realizes a frustrated, non-standard Bose–Hubbard model with strong pair hopping and density-induced tunneling. Using density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) calculations and analytical mappings, we find that interaction-driven pair tunneling stabilizes a robust pair superfluid, characterized by power-law decay of pair correlations and gapped single-particle excitations. Additionally, a chiral superfluid arises from frustration induced by competing nearest-neighbour (NN) and next-nearest-neighbour (NNN) tunnelings. In this way, the state-dependent subwavelength lattices provide a powerful and flexible platform for extending Bose–Hubbard physics, enabling strong long-range interactions, geometrical frustration, and large correlated hopping amplitudes.

W states are a central class of multipartite entangled states with applications in quantum information processing, yet their scalable and deterministic preparation remains challenging. Here we propose a protocol based on it topological ring frustration, whereby an odd-numbered antiferromagnetic ring hosts a delocalized excitation corresponding to a W state. We implement this approach on a programmable Rydberg atom array, generating W states of up to 11 qubits. Our results demonstrate a fidelity of $\mathcal{F} \approx 0.77$, and numerical simulations indicate scalability to larger system sizes accessible with near-term hardware improvements. To enable certification of these many-body entangled states, we introduce a novel and efficient Bayesian tomography method that, leveraging on classical simulations, enables their certification with a cost that avoids the exponential scaling of full tomography. These results establish topological frustration as a practical mechanism for engineering multipartite entanglement and provide a scalable route toward the certification of complex quantum states in analog quantum simulators.

Spontaneous formation of spatially nonuniform, periodic structures from homogeneous backgrounds is well known in classical systems and has analogues in quantum matter, where microscopic interactions can generate such patterns even at equilibrium. Dipolar Bose gases provide a striking example: long-range, anisotropic dipole–dipole interactions stabilized by quantum fluctuations give rise to ordered crystalline phases, which may preserve superfluidity, first observed in one-dimensional geometries and later in planar configurations. For a planar dipolar Bose gas with transverse dipole orientation, extended mean-field theory limit predicts triangular droplets, stripe, and honeycomb-like structures. Transitions from unmodulated to these modulated states are expected to be first order except at a single critical point permitting a continuous transition. Tilting the dipole moments compared to normal to the plane modifies these boundaries by broadening the region of stripe structures and the corresponding continuous transitions, introducing new critical points. Thereby, varying the scattering length may drive transition from the uniform superfluid either to triangular droplet phases or to stripe phases depending on density and angle, with various order of the transition. We experimentally explore a part of this phase diagram of a dipolar gas in a surfboard-shaped trap using interaction ramps and controlled tilting of the dipole moments. We observe the formation of density-modulated crystalline phases including a tilt-induced stripe-like (super)solid in addition to the triangular droplet (super)solid, and investigate the structural transitions between these morphologies and the uniform superfluid.

I will present, methods of mid-circuit measurements in a neutral atom array by shelving data qubits in protected hyperfine-Zeeman substates while non-destructively measuring an ancilla qubit. Moreover show methods to improve measurement fidelity is enhanced using microwave repumping of the ancilla during the measurement. These methods provides pathways to achieve quantum error correction in single species quantum processors. Also present recent results to simulate the Lipkin-Meshkov-Glick model using the variational-quantum-eigen solver algorithm on a neutral atom quantum computer. I will present two different encoding schemes to encode Hamiltonians, and testing the ground-state energy of spin systems with up to 15 spins. Moreover demonstrate with the aid of efficient encoding, together with zero-noise extrapolation techniques, how to improve the fidelity of the simulated energies with respect to exact solutions.

Many physical systems with local constraints can be"ectively be described using a dimer model approach. The active degrees of freedom are represented by dimers that live on links connecting sites and the local constraints translate to dimer constraints that limit the number of dimers touching each site. This implies that the total Hilbert space cannot be written as a tensor product state of local Hilbert spaces. One platform in which dimer models have been proposed to be relevant is Rydberg atom arrays. Rydberg atoms interact predominantly via a dipole-dipole coupling which, in certain regimes, leads to the Rydberg blockade effect . As a result of this effect, two atoms near one another cannot simultaneously occupy a Rydberg excited state. It is then straightforward to make a connection between Rydberg atom arrays and dimer models. Each atom can be interpreted as a dimer and the blockade effect generates the dimer constraints. Beyond the conventional setup, there are also three-level Rydberg atom arrays, which motivate the study of generalized dimer models. An extra “color” degree of freedom can be associated with each dimer allowing for a connection with the generalized Rydberg atom arrays. Here, we study a simple toy 2-color dimer model on a 1D ladder lattice, including the possibility of Ising-like color interactions between parallel dimers. Using DMRG numerical methods the full phase diagram of this toy model was obtained in terms of the dimer potential V and Ising coupling Jz. The limiting behaviours of the model were compared with the results of perturbation theory. For the ferromagnetic case (Jz=-1) two phases were found, and the model e"ectively reduces to the conventional (single color) dimer model. For the antiferromagnetic case (Jz=+1) four phases were found. For large negative V the theory can be mapped to the 1D spin-1/2 XXZ model. For large positive V we find non-trivial antiferromagnetic order driven by interactions generated at fourth-order in perturbation theory. In addition, two intermediate phases were discovered. One is likely to be connected to a decoupled plaquette phase, while the other may be continuously connected to the phase at large negative V.

Topological phases in low-dimensional strongly interacting quantum systems have been widely studied at zero temperatures, revealing that they can emerge due to lattice geometry, interactions, and explicit symmetry-breaking terms. We demonstrate [1] that finite temperature effects can induce new symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phases in systems where magnetic atoms or polar molecules are trapped in optical lattice. Specifically, we analyze both the XXZ spin-1 and the dimerized spin-1/2 Heisenberg Hamiltonians, as well as a fermionic system where particles interact through an antiferromagnetic coupling. In these systems, the presence of distinct gaps in the energy spectra characterized by different amplitudes plays a crucial role in the finite-temperature stability of SPT phases. In particular, the imaginary time evolution of MPS-based purification reveals that when at zero temperature a system is in an ordered phase a SPT phase with novel symmetry features can emerge as the temperature increases. This intriguing and general mechanism results accurately proved by the emergent long-range order of nonlocal string order parameters, even degeneracy of the entanglement spectrum and finite edge states. These findings demonstrate how temperature represents a novel and powerful resource for creating and controlling SPT phases in atomic quantum simulators. [1] N. Cuzzuol, M. Miotto, A. Montorsi, L. Barbiero. Finite temperature induced interacting symmetry protected topological phases. In preparation.

Anyons [1,2] are low-dimensional quasiparticles that obey fractional statistics, hence interpolating between bosons and fermions. In two dimensions, they exist as elementary excitations of fractional quantum Hall states and they are believed to enable topological quantum computing. One-dimensional (1D) anyons have been theoretically proposed, but their experimental realization has proven to be difficult. Here, we report the observation [3] of emergent anyonic correlations in a 1D strongly-interacting quantum gas, resulting from the phenomenon of spin-charge separation. A mobile impurity provides the necessary spin degree of freedom to engineer anyonic correlations in the charge sector and simultaneously acts as a probe to reveal these correlations. Starting with bosons, we tune the statistical phase to transmute bosons via anyons to fermions and observe an asymmetric momentum distribution, hallmark of anyonic correlations. Going beyond equilibrium conditions, we ob serve dynamical fermionization of the anyons, where the momentum distribution of an expanding sample of 1D hardcore anyons following a trap quench becomes indistinguishable from that of a non-interacting, spin-polarized Fermi gas over time, irrespective of the statistical phase. Our work opens up the door to the exploration of non-equilibrium anyonic phenomena in a highly controllable setting. In the second part, we report our recent effort on the realization of extended Bose-Hubbard model with KHz scale nearest-neighbour interaction in sub-wavelength optical lattices. In particular, we realize a triangular ladder using Raman-coupled Cesium atoms in 871-nm anti-magic optical lattice. [1] J. M. Leinaas and J. Myrheim, On the theory of identical particles, Il Nuovo Cimento B (1971-1996) 37, 1 (1977). [2] F. Wilczek, Quantum mechanics of fractional-spin particles, Phys. Rev. Lett. 49, 957 (1982). [3] S. Dhar, B. Wang, M. Horvath, A. Vashisht, Y. Zeng, M.B. Zvonarev, N. Goldman, Y. Guo, M. Landini and H.C. Nägerl. Observing anyonization of bosons in a quantum gas. Nature 642, 53-57 (2025)

Frustration and synthetic magnetic fluxes have emerged as pivotal aspects in the exploration of novel many-body quantum phases in ultracold atomic systems. A non-trivial framework involves the introduction of a π-flux. In such systems, flux-induced degeneracies emulate orbital physics in 2D, typically associated with higher Bloch bands. The resulting orbital degrees of freedom may spontaneously break time-reversal symmetry, effectively generating angular momentum and vortex-like configurations in the condensate wavefunction. Extending this beyond 2D lattices opens new avenues for investigating novel states of matter with genuine 3D loop current configurations originating from the combined effects of geometric frustration and interactions.

I will discuss how the dynamics of spin-full fermionic atoms in optical lattices in a deep Mott regime is significantly dependent on the atomic spin $s$. The atomic spin could be any spin-like internal degree of freedom, in particular, the nuclear spin. Dynamics of fermionic atoms (eg.: Sr-87, Rb-85, Yt-173) in optical lattices in the simplest framework is given by Fermi-Hubbard model, consisting of nearest neighbour tunneling and on-site repulsion. In case when repulsion term is way stronger than tunneling term in the Hamiltonian, the system originally prepared in a state with one atom in each site, will evolve preserving single site occupation. An effective model for this evolution is given by Spin-Exchange (SE) Hamiltonian, consisting of effective nearest neighbor interaction and spin exchange processes. The best studied case is the one for atomic spin $s=1/2$. It is however very peculiar case, since for $s=1/2$ SE model is just identical with isotropic Heisenberg model (nearest neighbors spin interaction). The full SE model for arbitrary $s$ is way reacher than Heisenberg, what reveals in a larger degeneracy of SE eigenstates. The different, broader set of eigenstates qualitatively changes the spin dynamics of SE system when $s\ge 1$ is considered. In [1] we show how to derive a broader class of SE model eigenstates. By using these eigenstates, I analytical compute effective spin dynamics of SE system subjected to weak spin coupling to external light. My analytical results are supported by exact numerical simulations. I also propose a possibly simply feasible experimental test to determine the effect of the larger degeneracy of SE model with respect to Heisenberg, to be performed on systems like Strontium-87 in an optical lattice. [1] - H. Dunikowski, E. Witkowska ``Spin Dynamics in the Strongly Interacting Mott Regime of SU(N) Fermi-Hubbard Systems'' - in preparation.

Quantum-gas microscopes provide direct access to the phases of the Fermi-Hubbard model, bringing microscopic insight into the complex competition between interactions, SU(2) magnetism, and doping. Alkaline-earth(-like) fermions extend this spin-1/2 paradigm and give access to SU($N$) Hubbard models, with rich phase diagrams to be unveiled. Despite its fundamental interest, a microscopic exploration of SU(N) quantum systems has remained elusive. Here we report the realization of a quantum-gas microscope for fermionic $^{87}Sr$. Our imaging scheme, based on cooling and fluorescence on the narrow intercombination line at 689 nm, enables spin-resolved single-atom detection. By implementing a spin-selective optical pumping protocol, we determine the occupation of each of the 10 spin states in a single experimental realization, a crucial capability for probing site-resolved magnetic correlations. These results establish $^{87}Sr$ quantum-gas microscopy as a powerful approach to study SU(N) magnetism and provide a new detection tool for studies in quantum simulation, computation, and metrology.

Long-range interactions can qualitatively reorganize correlated-electron ground states. In the square-lattice Hubbard model, on-site repulsion produces antiferromagnetic spin and charge stripes upon doping. We show that including a nearest-neighbor repulsion $V$ can dramatically alter this behavior. Using auxiliary-field quantum Monte Carlo and density matrix renormalization group methods, we find that, above a critical ratio $V/U$ ($\sim 0.25$), the system develops a modulated ferrimagnetic order intertwined with checkerboard charge-density-wave. Inside the ferrimagnetic domains, spin density alternates between positive (or negative) and nearly zero values. When the total spin is fixed to zero, positive and negative domains alternate in space; when spins are unconstrained, a ferrimagnetic state emerges with finite magnetization. Including a next-nearest-neighbor hopping $t'$ changes the modulation wavelength but leaves the order robust. Our results demonstrate that even short-range nonlocal interactions can stabilize qualitatively new magnetic textures, with implications for cuprate materials and programmable quantum simulators.

Neutral-atom arrays have emerged as one of the most promising platforms for quantum simulation and computation, with recent experiments demonstrating analog–digital simulation and progress toward fault tolerance. Yet key challenges remain: mid-circuit readout speed and arbitrary local addressability still require improvement. We propose a hybrid architecture combining single-atom Ytterbium data qubits with small Rubidium ensembles acting as ancillas, enabling fast, non-destructive mid-circuit readout and selective local control while preserving the long coherence times of individual atoms. Our numerical work estimates single- and multi-qubit gate fidelities of 99.5% and 99.9%, respectively, and readout fidelities above 99% on tens-of-microseconds timescales. Here, we report our progress toward realizing this architecture in a continuously operated setting. Moving optical lattices are employed to vertically transport both atomic species over 36 cm, followed by loading into optical tweezers. This represents a key step toward a continuously operated dual-species quantum processor, enabling fast error-syndrome detection and efficient long-range entanglement via measurement-based protocols.

We investigate coupled dynamics of spinless fermions on a one-dimensional lattice and spins on the links [1]. When the hopping integral and the on-site potential of the fermions depend on the direction of the link spins, the low-energy effective theory predicts that the link spins behave as a dynamical axion field in $1+1$ dimensions. The axion field $\theta$ is coupled to the electric field $E$ as $\theta E$, through which the link spins rotate in response to the applied electric field or the chemical potential gradient for charge-neutral fermions. This is the inverse phenomenon of Thouless pumping in the Rice-Mele model. After analyzing the dynamics by approximating the link spins with the classical ones and utilizing the axion Lagrangian, we show the full-quantum dynamics using the tensor network method. Even though we do not explicitly introduce the axion Lagrangian in solving the fermion- spin coupled many-body dynamics, the full-quantum results agree well with those with the classical spin approximation, including the dynamics of the axion field and fermion transport. In addition, we find that the quantum correlation between spins accelerates the dynamics of axion fields as the suppression of the expectation values of the link spins allows them to rotate easily. We also propose a possible experimental setup for cold-atomic systems to implement the Hamiltonian in this study. [1] Y. Hosogi, K. Furutani, and Y. Kawaguchi, Dynamical axion fields coupled with one-dimensional spinless fermions, arXiv:2508.02370.

Synthetic dimensions provide a powerful route to engineer topological lattice models in ultracold atomic systems, but they contain intrinsic nonlocal interactions along the synthetic direction. We investigate an extended Harper-Hofstadter model subject to infinite-range column interactions that mimic this synthetic nonlocality. By tuning this interaction strength, we demonstrate an adiabatic evolution from a Laughlin-type bosonic fractional Chern insulator to a charge-ordered Tao-Thouless-like state without closing the many-body gap. Along this path, the many-body Chern number and the topological entanglement entropy remain unchanged, despite a pronounced restructuring of the entanglement spectrum and the loss of robustness against local perturbations. This adiabatic connectivity establishes a controlled bridge between topologically ordered and effect- ively one-dimensional charge-ordered regimes, opening potential new avenues for state preparation. Our results also show that conventional topological markers may fail to diagnose the breakdown of locality-protected topological order in synthetic dimensions, and identify nonlocal interactions as a powerful knob to coherently interpolate between distinct many-body regimes.

We propose a scheme for mediating many simultaneous entangling gates between pairs of polar molecules using Rydberg atoms. By using microwave drives, the dipolar interactions between Rydberg atoms are nullified. Using the freedom left in the microwave dressing parameters, the Rydberg van der Waals interactions are minimized and the Rydberg-molecule interaction is tuned into resonance, allowing for the mediation of a modified SWAP gate between molecules. Due to the minimisation of interactions between Rydberg atoms, many such gates can be performed simultaneously in a large hybrid array of atoms and polar molecules. In the example of mediating gates between $\rm{{}^{23}Na {}^{133}Cs}$ molecules with $\rm {}^{133}Cs$ atoms, the gate is more than two orders of magnitude faster than an equivalent direct molecule-molecule gate, while the performance is limited to the $1-\mathcal{F}\approx 10^{-2}$ level by decay of the Rydberg states and the motion of the atom and molecules.

We have developed a next-generation apparatus to advance neutral atom quantum computing with $^{88}$Sr. The apparatus incorporates a cryostat and will contain a microwave shield inside a glass cell. In contrast to more traditional cryostats, our apparatus is designed to provide the benefits of cryogenics, such as exceptionally long lifetimes and blackbody radiation shielding, while simultaneously allowing for full optical access and integration with existing and proven designs and components. The microwave shield could enable long lifetimes of circular Rydberg states and high-fidelity two-qubit gates by shaping background electric fields and suppressing UV-induced charges on the glass cell. With this machine, we also made a push towards more compact and modularized setups. The footprint of the apparatus is significantly reduced compared to similar experiments, primarily due to the use of multi-drawer racks that contain most of the laser setups. One rack can replace one standard optical table and, at the same time, is easier to maintain and operate. This platform will enable us to scale the qubit numbers to $\sim$100k and explore the circular Rydberg states of alkaline-earth elements for quantum simulation and quantum computing.

We investigate the Hall response of interacting bosonic atoms on a triangular ladder in a magnetic field, making inroads in understanding the meaning of the Hall response for many-body quantum phases, by analyzing the effects of frustration effects and phase transitions. We show that the nature of the underlying chiral phases has an important influence on the behavior of the Hall polarization, both in its saturation value and in the short-time dynamics. In particular, we find correlations between the Hall response and the features of the underlying phase diagram stemming from the interplay of interactions and geometric frustration. Thus, one can employ the Hall response as a sensitive probe of the many-body chiral quantum phases present in the system.

Optical lattices are a widely used platform for quantum simulation, providing a natural testbed for Hubbard physics. However, conventional optical lattices are restricted to a limited set of geometries. Digital Micromirror Devices (DMDs) are commonly used in cold-atom experiments to engineer tailored light potentials and to enable quantum state preparation. In past experiments, these devices have been used in conjunction with optical lattice, both statically or dynamically. In principle, the light fields generated by a DMD can also be used directly to trap atoms, similar to optical tweezer experiments. Using light from a DMD projected through the microscope of a quantum-gas microscope it is possible to create engineered light potentials with variable tunnelling rates and non-standard geometries. Here, we theoretically explore the feasibility of using a DMD to engineer arbitrary Hubbard systems. By calculating maximally localised Wannier functions , it is possible to determine Hubbard parameters for both measured and generated potentials, allowing us to determine the quality of the resulting trapping potentials. Creating chains of these microtraps allows for the construction of arbitrary tunnel-coupled tweezer geometries, opening the possibility of studying a variety of new physics beyond what is accessible with conventional optical lattices.

We investigate the combined effects of quenched disorder and dissipation on the nematic phase transition of the J1-J2 Heisenberg model in 2D. Disorder generically generates both random-mass and random-field terms to the nematic order parameter in the associated action. The low-energy nematic dynamics can be mapped onto an effective random transverse-field Ising model supplemented by random longitudinal fields. Dissipation is incorporated by coupling each effective Ising degree of freedom to a bath of harmonic oscillators similar to the Caldeira-Leggett model. Employing the strong-disorder renormalization group method to this problem, we demonstrate that the nematic phase is replaced by a novel inhomogeneous state composed of frozen nematic clusters without long-range order.

Exact parent Hamiltonians are a theoretical “window” into the many-body physics, allowing to analyze particular examples of strongly correlated phases without the need of approximations or heavy numerics. Yet the exact solution often comes with a cost of fine-tuned terms which are difficult to realize experimentally. An example is an exact parent Hamiltonian for lattice version of fractional quantum Hall (FQH) states, the Kapit-Mueller (KM) model. It contains complex hopping terms whose phase reflects an uniform magnetic field and magnitude is a Gaussian function of distance, which, at the first glance, seems hard to realize in practice. Here we demonstrate that this seemingly abstract model can be realized in an array of atoms coupled to a degenerate optical cavity. The key insight is that the Landau-level-like single-particle states underlying the lattice FQH states are orthogonal to a subset of typical eigenmodes of a cavities, Laguerre-Gauss modes. By making this subset degenerate we penalize it energetically. What remains is exactly flat topological band of atomic excitations, decoupled from the cavity (“dark”), within which the FQH states reside. Our work builds on – and expands – the results of Clark et al [1], who realized a two-particle continuum photonic FQH state using random cloud of atoms coupled to a twisted ring cavity. We propose to use the same cavity geometry, but by considering ordered atoms, we open further possibilities for the setup. For example, we enable investigation of physics beyond the traditional continuum Landau levels (e.g. topology on fractal lattices) and usage of collective cavity dissipation as a resource (e.g. to project states onto the flat band). While the focus of our work is single-particle, we believe that the flat band of the atom+cavity KM model is an ideal setting to study many-body effects. This includes interacting phases in unconventional geometries and new methods of FQH state preparation and measurement based on collective dissipation. [1] L. W. Clark, N. Schine, C. Baum, N. Jia, J. Simon, Nature 582, 41-45 (2020)

Ultracold atoms confined in double-well potentials provide an ideal platform to study quantum tunneling and collective transport phenomena relevant to atomtronic devices. The nature of the Josephson potential being repulsive or attractive, including its strength affects the low-lying quasiparticle collective excitations. We examine the beyond mean-field effects in the excitations of quantum droplets of Bose-Bose mixtures. To this end, we use extended Gross-Pitaevskii equation and Bogoliubov theory to study the ground state and low-lying mode spectra upon change in the Josephson potential parameters. The Lee-Huang-Yang quantum fluctuations stabilize the mean-field interaction and preserve the self-bound droplet, whereas a repulsive barrier induces a structural transition from polarized to unpolarized states. The quench dynamics of barrier (well) strength leads to intriguing breathing oscillations and filaments of droplet mixtures.

We study the genuine multipartite entanglement (GME) in disordered system and its potential for detecting the transition from the thermalized to the localized phase. We demonstrate that the quenched average GME can approach its near-maximum value in the ergodic phase of a disordered quantum spin model. In contrast, GME vanishes in the many-body localized (MBL) phase, both in equilibrium and in the long-time dynamical steady state, indicating lack of multipartite entanglement in the localized regime. To establish this, we analyze the disordered Heisenberg spin chain subjected to a random magnetic field along with the two- and three-body Dzya{\l}oshinskii–Moriya (DM) interactions. We exhibit that the behavior of GME, in both the mid-spectrum of the Hamiltonian and the dynamically evolved states from an initial N{\'e}el configuration, serves as a reliable indicator of the critical disorder strength required for ergodic to MBL transition. The identified transition point aligns well with standard indicators such as the gap ratio and the correlation length. Moreover, we find that the presence of DM interactions, particularly the three-body interaction, significantly enlarges the thermal phase and delays the onset of localization with an extended correlation length. This shift in the transition point is consistently reflected in both static and dynamical analyses, reinforcing the GME as a robust probe for MBL transitions.

Gapped topological phases are conventionally defined in the low-temperature limit, well below the bulk excitation gap. We instead consider an intermediate temperature regime in which a spin sector becomes incoherent due to thermal fluctuations, while the temperature remains below the charge gap of an underlying Chern insulator. In this regime, chiral edge modes continue to propagate ballistically, but can exchange energy with the incoherent spin degrees of freedom. We analyze the thermal response of the system and identify universal properties in this regime and comment on possible edge probes that can access these signatures.

Neutral-atom quantum simulators provide a powerful platform for realizing strongly correlated phases, enabling access to dynamical signatures of quasiparticles and symmetry breaking processes. Motivated by recent observations of quantum phases in flux-frustrated ladders with non-vanishing ground state currents, we investigate interacting bosons on the dimerized BBH lattice in two dimensions—originally introduced in the context of higher-order topology. After mapping out the phase diagram, which includes vortex superfluid (V-SF), vortex Mott insulator (V-MI), and featureless Mott insulator (MI) phases, we focus on the integer filling case. There, the MI/V-SF transition simultaneously breaks the $\mathbb Z_2^{T}$ and U(1) symmetries, where $\mathbb Z_2^{T}$ corresponds to time-reversal symmetry (TRS). Using a slave-boson description, we resolve the excitation spectrum across the transition and uncover a chiral Higgs mode whose mass softens at criticality, providing a dynamical hallmark of emergent chirality that we probe numerically via quench dynamics. Our results establish an experimentally realistic setting for probing unconventional TRS-broken phases and quasiparticles with intrinsic chirality in strongly interacting quantum matter.

Direct site-resolved position-space studies near the quantum critical point of the two-dimensional Bose-Hubbard model remain limited. Accessing this regime with a quantum gas microscope requires large lattices, which in practice leads to reduced trap depths during fluorescence imaging. The central challenge is then to collect enough scattered photons for reliable detection while keeping recoil-induced loss under control. We address this challenge by using the narrow 689\,nm intercombination line of strontium-84. Its small linewidth ($\Gamma / 2\pi = 7.4\,\mathrm{kHz}$) enables efficient laser cooling during imaging at reduced trap depths. To maximize available trap depth, we operate the optical lattice at 1064\,nm. This required determining the differential dynamical polarizability of the intercombination transition at this wavelength, and engineering a near-magic trapping condition through precise control of the lattice polarization and an applied magnetic field. To describe in-trap fluorescence imaging quantitatively, we also developed a theoretical framework for the high-saturation regime, where standard low-saturation based laser cooling theories are insufficient. This framework provides a basis for understanding and optimizing the trade-off between scattering rate and imaging loss with many experimental parameters such as imaging beam detuning and intensity, trap depth and trap frequency. We present site-resolved fluorescence images of strontium-84 atoms in a two-dimensional optical lattice, together with a characterization of the microscope based on the measured point spread function and lattice geometry. We also observe the wedding-cake structure of a Mott insulator, and present measurements of the imaging performance interpreted within our theoretical framework. These results establish the main ingredients of a strontium quantum gas microscope and constitute a step toward site-resolved studies of quantum critical behavior in the two-dimensional Bose-Hubbard model.

Ultracold gases of highly magnetic atoms, such as Dysprosium, offer a versatile platform to study and engineer short- and long-range interactions [1, 2], which have allowed, for instance, the realization of the supersolid phase in Bose-Einstein condensates [3]. Light-matter interactions via a high-finesse optical cavity bring another tool for controlling ultracold systems, from cavity-enhanced cooling [4] to self-organization and superradiance [5]. We present our plan to build an experimental setup tailored for Dysprosium ultracold gases, where new types of supersolids can emerge from the competition among dipolar and light-matter interactions. [1] Cheng Chin, Rudolf Grimm, Paul Julienne, and Eite Tiesinga. Feshbach resonances in ultracold gases. Rev. Mod. Phys., 82:1225–1286, Apr 2010. [2] Yijun Tang, Wil Kao, Kuan-Yu Li, and Benjamin L. Lev. Tuning the dipole-dipole interaction in a quantum gas with a rotating magnetic field. Phys. Rev. Lett., 120:230401, Jun 2018. [3] Lauriane Chomaz, Igor Ferrier-Barbut, Francesca Ferlaino, Bruno Laburthe-Tolra, Benjamin L Lev, and Tilman Pfau. Dipolar physics: a review of experiments with magnetic quantum gases. Reports on Progress in Physics, 86(2):026401, 2023. [4] Matthias Wolke, Julian Klinner, Hans Keßler, and Andreas Hemmerich. Cavity cooling below the recoil limit. Science, 337(6090):75–78, 2012. [5] Kristian Baumann, Christine Guerlin, Ferdinand Brennecke, and Tilman Esslinger. Dicke quantum phase transition with a superfluid gas in an optical cavity. nature, 464(7293):1301–1306, 2010.

The preparation of pristine Mott insulator (MI) states of ultracold atoms in optical lattices is a crucial resource for a wide range of quantum simulation experiments. Although these systems offer remarkable controllability, small fractions of excitations inevitably emerge during lattice loading, which can significantly affect experimental quality. This limitation highlights the need for new in-situ cooling techniques to purify imperfect MIs. In this work, we theoretically propose and analyze a reservoir-engineering scheme aimed at mitigating such excitations. Specifically, we investigate whether a portion of a twodimensional lattice can act as an engineered bath for a smaller subsystem hosting the MI. Focusing on a bosonic MI at unit density, confined to a one-dimensional strip and characterized by doublon-holon impurities, we use numerical simulations to test whether tuning the bath parameters can induce irreversible absorption of these excitations, thereby stabilizing the MI toward a uniform density profile.

We introduce a model-independent method for the selective preparation and detection of quasiparticle wave packets, based on creation operators that generate dressed, localized excitations on top of interacting vacua of (quasi-)one-dimensional quantum many-body systems. This method exploits maximally localized Wannier functions (MLWFs) constructed from quasiparticle bands at intermediate system sizes, enabling the construction of unitary local dressed creation operators. The algorithm allows for species-resolved wave packet preparation and detection, enabling the separation of known quasiparticle contributions from unknown resonances. The method is demonstrated using Matrix Product States (MPS), and is readily generalizable for quantum simulation protocols. We test this approach on pure hardcore Hamiltonian QCD on a ladder lattice, detecting scattering outputs and mass resonances.

Topologically ordered quantum systems give rise to anyonic quasiparticles, whose controlled braiding operations form the foundation of topological quantum computation. Traditionally, studies of anyons have relied on edge-state interferometry, leaving the direct detection and manipulation of anyons in the bulk a major experimental challenge. Here, we propose and theoretically investigate a pathway toward this goal by demonstrating that a long-lived, optically generated interlayer exciton can bind to a quasihole in a fractional quantum Hall state, forming a novel composite excitation: the anyon-trion. Using exact diagonalization techniques, we reveal that anyon-trions exhibit millielectronvolt-scale binding energies and a linear dependence on the fractional charge of the quasihole. This scaling offers a powerful means to optically extract the quasihole’s fractional charge through measurable shifts in exciton resonances. We outline a feasible experimental implementation via photoluminescence spectroscopy in a quantum twisting microscope setup, providing a promising route for the direct optical observation of anyon-trions within the bulk.

New generation cold-atom experiments have realized the vision of scalable quantum many-body systems with resolution at the single-particle level. In particular, optical tweezer arrays have become one of the leading platforms for quantum information processing, metrology and quantum simulation. Here, I will present results from a Yb tweezers platform in Trieste, aiming to engineer and investigate fermionic many-body systems with single-particle resolution. In our experiments we load tweezer arrays of all ytterbium isotopes from a narrow-line MOT operating in a five-beam configuration. Leveraging the favorable properties of ytterbium, we detect single atoms with a fast and low-loss imaging scheme without active cooling, reaching state-of-the-art single-atom discrimination fidelities and survival probability within few microseconds of illumination. Through interleaved recooling pulses, as short as a few hundred microseconds for atoms in magic traps, we perform tens of consecutive detections with constant survival probability per image. Owing to the relevance of magic or differential trapping conditions for high-fidelity manipulation, cooling and imaging, we have developed a polarizability model showing excellent agreement with both known and newly-measured Yb polarizability values. Owing to its short timescale, our imaging scheme does not induce parity projection and enables number-resolved detection in multiply-filled traps. We employ such atom-counting capability, to investigate the dynamics of blue-detuned light-assisted collisions leading to enhanced loading in optical tweezer arrays. Finally, I will report on recent work in an hybrid tweezer-lattice experiment at MPQ, where we assemble 2D tweezer arrays with programmable spin-charge configurations. By transferring atoms into an optical lattice we will investigate out-of-equilibrium many-body physics starting from arbitrary product states.

As experimental trapping of ultracold spinor bosonic gases in high-finesse optical cavities continues to advance, there is a growing need for theoreti- cal studies of the corresponding extended Bose–Hubbard models with two- component bosons. Here, we investigate the simplest case of cavity-induced interactions that arise when the nodes of the optical lattice coincide with the antinodes of the cavity field. We analyze the system within mean-field theory in the grand-canonical ensemble. In the atomic limit, the homogeneous sys- tem hosts two insulating magnetic phases: an anti ferromagnet (AFM) and a spin density wave (SDW). When tunneling is introduced, these phases be- come surrounded by a superfluid phase and three distinct supersolid phases, distinguished by different patterns of spin and density imbalances between odd and even sites. Finally, we include a harmonic trapping potential with a fixed magnetization constraint in our simulations, which allows us to obtain the full phase diagram directly relevant for experiments, reveling plethora of different phases that could be observed in a trap.

Ultracold atoms trapped in optical lattices or tweezer arrays are exciting platforms for quantum simulation. However, in order to correctly interpret the results of simulation experiments, the simulator system needs to be well understood. For example, few-body effects like confinement-induced resonances may be of interest by themself or used for control, but can also be a nuisance, especially if they occur unexpectedly, as they may erroneously indicate, e.g., some phase transition. On the other hand, the theoretical description of trapped ultracold atoms is very challenging, especially in the case of tweezer arrays with variable geormetry of the wells. Therefore, often simplifications like the $\delta$ pseudo-potential and the mean-field approximation are adopted. After having introduced a benchmark approach for the full treatment of two ultracold atoms in a finite, but orthorhombic lattice or tweezer array quite some time ago (full atom-atom interaction potentials and exact diagonalization), we have now succeeded to implement a new approach that can adopt realistic atom-atom interactions and perform both mean-field and beyond mean-field calculations for an in principle arbitrary number of atoms. The code can consider Bosons or Fermions, both indistinguishable and distinguishable, and mixtures thereof in tweezer arrays of arbitrary geometry.

The nonlinear response of a medium is essential to generate quantum correlations, yet it requires high light intensities and thick samples, inadvertently also inducing heating that typically suppresses correlations. In this talk, I will show that large arrays of quantum emitters exhibit a robust nonlinear response even at arbitrarily weak drive intensities [1]. This finding, corresponding to a break-down of linear response in the thermodynamic limit, challenges the long-held assumption that weakly driven emitters behave classically and is due to a dominant nonlinear contribution of subradiant states via multi-photon processes. Using a Dynamical Mean-Field Theory (DMFT), we predict [1] that this leads to a quantum-correlated steady state composed of interacting pairs of subradiant excitations, with long-range correlations and multi-mode squeezing. Our findings establish a new frontier for nonlinear quantum optics at minimal power and provide a scalable protocol for preparing multimode squeezing with potential for quantum metrology. If time allows, I will also discuss some results on the effect of interactions on the Mollow triplet spectrum of emission in a strong driving regime [2]. [1] O. Scarlatella and N. Cooper, How Subradiance Enables Nonlinearity in Weakly Driven Quantum Arrays, arXiv:2409.01386. [2] O. Scarlatella and N. Cooper, Fate of the Mollow triplet in a strongly-coupled atomic array, Letter in Phys. Rev. A 110, L041305 (2024).

Arrays of neutral atoms in optical tweezers offer a versatile platform for quantum technologies due to their inherently non-interacting nature and identical intrinsic properties. We present the realization of a large-scale quantum technology platform beyond the 1,000 qubit level. By scaling tweezer arrays using a micro-optical approach, we achieve 2D configurations comprising more than 3,000 sites and 1,000 rubidium single-atom qubits on average. This enables the assembly of defect-free clusters containing up to 441 qubits with stabilized near-unity filling over multiple detection cycles. To mitigate atom loss, a modular scheme with an additional cold-atom reservoir and buffer sites decouples cold-atom accumulation, increasing data rates and enabling continuous operation. Applications in quantum sensing are demonstrated by mapping an externally applied DC gradient magnetic field with sub-micrometer resolution. For extension to 3D, we introduce a novel architecture for multilayer configurations of planar arrays using a microlens-generated Talbot tweezer lattice, which extends 2D quantum arrays to the third dimension at no additional cost, accessing 10,000 sites in the current setup. Local control of quantum states and interactions is achieved through fast laser addressing, enabling parallelized universal quantum operations including site-selective Raman and Rydberg excitation of atomic qubits. These advances facilitate the continuous operation of highly scalable quantum registers, with immediate applications in Rydberg-mediated quantum simulation, computation, sensing, and metrology.

Ultracold dipolar molecules in bulk systems and in tweezers offer unique opportunities for many-body physics and quantum simulation. Species with optical cycling transitions, such as calcium monofluoride (CaF), are particularly attractive, as they allow for direct laser cooling and efficient single-molecule detection. However, these systems have complementary limitations: tweezer arrays offer excellent control but are limited in size, while bulk CaF samples have not yet achieved the phase-space densities required for quantum degeneracy. We will present a new experimental setup for the cooling of CaF molecules designed to overcome these limitations. It integrates a buffer-gas source with efficient molecular beam collimation using sub-Doppler transverse laser cooling, enabling high-fidelity loading of molecules into a magneto-optical trap. This provides a natural starting point for increasing the achievable phase-space density in bulk samples, as well as for loading molecules into large-scale optical tweezer arrays. Together, these advances push bulk systems toward degeneracy while enhancing the scalability of tweezer-based platforms, opening access to strongly correlated dipolar regimes and more controlled quantum simulations of magnetism and exotic many-body phases.

Abstract: Quantum statistics in low-dimensional systems predicts anyonic particles with fractional exchange statistics, which are neither bosons nor fermions. While anyons are typically found in 2D, as excitations of topologically ordered states of matter, anyon-like exchange statistics has been discussed also in one dimension, for instance in terms of the anyon Hubbard model (AHM), the physics of which has been observed experimentally recently [1–3]. The AHM can be formulated in terms of bosons featuring density-dependent Peierls phases, described by a statistical phase angle θ. This angle has been shown to control asymmetric transport and the formation of dynamically bound pairs at finite momentum. Here, we show theoretically that the AHM also hosts three-body bound states inside and outside the continuum. We provide a simple approximation to these three-body bound states using a variational ansatz and explain their binding mechanism. Moreover, we reveal that the signatures of three-body bound states in the AHM can be directly probed experimentally from the expansion dynamics starting from three localized particles [4]. References [1] J. Kwan, P. Segura, Y. Li, S. Kim, A. V. Gorshkov, A. Eckardt, B. Bakkali-Hassani, and M. Greiner, Science 386, 1055 (2024). [2] S. Dhar, B. Wang, M. Horvath, A. Vashisht, Y. Zeng, M. B. Zvonarev, N. Goldman, Y. Guo, M. Landini, and H.-C. Nägerl, Nature 642, 53 (2025). [3] B. Bakkali-Hassani, J. Kwan, P. Segura, Y. Li, I. Tesfaye, G. Valentí-Rojas, A. Eckardt, M. Greiner, arXiv:2602.20421. [4] I. Tesfaye, C. Mascherbauer, J. Kwan, M. Greiner, L. Santos, A. Eckardt, and B. Bakkali-Hassani, (in preparation).

In our work, we study the influence of interactions of two-component mixture containing several fermions with a third-component particle (impurity). We model such scenario with the one-dimensional Hamiltonian of the form [1]: $\hat{\cal H} = \sum_\sigma\!\!\int\!\!\mathrm{d}x\,\hat\Psi_\sigma^\dagger(x)\left[-\frac{1}{2}\frac{\mathrm{d}^2}{\mathrm{d}x^2}+\frac{1}{2}x^2\right]\hat\Psi_\sigma(x) +\sum_{\sigma\neq\sigma'} g_{\sigma\sigma'}\!\int\!\!\mathrm{d}x\,\hat{n}_\sigma(x)\hat{n}_{\sigma'}(x),$ where $\hat{\Psi}_\sigma(x)$ is a field operator describing fermions from component $\sigma=\{A,B,C\}$, $\hat{n}_\sigma(x)=\hat{\Psi}_\sigma^\dagger(x)\hat{\Psi}_\sigma(x)$ is corresponding density operator, and $g_{\sigma\sigma'}$ is an effective interaction strength between components $\sigma$ and $\sigma'$. Particularly, we focus on the problem of formation of Cooper-like correlations in the mixture. We assume that components A and B interact with attractive forces ($g_{AB}<0$) and therefore they host Cooper-like pairing in their many-body ground state $|G\rangle$ [2,3]. The intensity of these pairing correlations is quantified via two-particle correlation function in momentum domain: ${\cal G}_{AB}(p,p')=\langle \mathtt{G}| \hat{n}_A(p) \hat{n}_B(p')|\mathtt{G}\rangle - \langle\mathtt{G}| \hat{n}_A(p)|\mathtt{G}\rangle\langle\mathtt{G}| \hat{n}_B(p')|\mathtt{G}\rangle$. We investigate how these correlations are interfered by a symmetric interaction with the third component particle ($g=g_{AC}=g_{BC}$). We show that, while attractions with the third component always disrupt Cooper-pair precursors, small repulsion may actually enhance the pairing process. References [1] M. Teske, T. Sowiński, Phys. Rev. A 113, 013301 (2026) [2] T. Sowiński, EPL 134, 33001 (2021) [3] D. Pęcak, T.Sowiński, Phys. Rev. Res. 2, 012077(R) (2020)

We investigate the ferromagnetic–paramagnetic phase transition in coherently (Rabi) coupled Bose-Einstein condensates at zero and finite temperatures, in both three-dimensional homogeneous and quasi-one-dimensional harmonic trap. Finite-temperature phase diagram of a three-dimensional homogeneous condensate is mapped out using the Hartree–Fock–Bogoliubov theory within the Popov approximation and identify the critical line through the softening of the spin gap. Suppression of the ferromagnetic order with increase of temperature is shown by spin-gap and magnetization studies. In quasi-one- dimensional harmonic traps, the transition, driven by Rabi coupling, is inferred through the softening of the spin breathing mode. Notably, the thermally driven transition causes monotonic hardening of all the spin modes. For both coupling and temperature-driven transition, the hybridized “density” modes in the ferromagnetic phase acquire more density character while approaching the critical point.

Simulating an artificial magnetic field is commonly realized with ultracold atoms experiments, using a large variety of techniques and atomic species. This opens the door to simulating topological phases that exhibit a quantized Hall effect. In our experiment, we implement a quantum Hall system using a gas of ultracold Dysprosium, which has a large atomic spin (J = 8) in its ground state. We use the spin to encode a synthetic dimension defined by the value of the spin projection. By making two-photon Raman transitions between the states, one can couple the spin and the velocity of the atoms, which gives rise to an artificial magnetic field and a quantum Hall phase. Recently, we have added an optical lattice that competes with the quantum Hall effect, leading to a topological phase transition, between the topological phase above-mentioned and a non-topological one. We probe this transition by measuring the local Hall conductivity, as well as excitations to higher bands when making a Bloch oscillation, revealing edge modes and the critical point. At this critical point, we observe the divergence of the edge correlation length. Moreover, a topological semi-metal emerges, with a gapless dispersion relation exhibiting a Dirac point. Parity anomaly of the two-dimensional Dirac fermions enforces a half-quantized Hall response. This half quantization is protected by an emergent parity symmetry at criticality, and disappears when parity is explicitly broken. We also observe the divergence of the edge correlation length.

Anyons emerge as elementary excitations in low-dimensional quantum systems and exhibit behavior distinct from bosons or fermions. In one dimension, anyons can arise from unconventional scattering processes or density-dependent hopping on a lattice. Here, we introduce a novel framework for realizing anyonic correlations using the internal degrees of freedom of a spinor quantum gas [1]. We propose a “swap” model, which assigns a complex phase factor to the swapping processes between two different species, referred to as “host particles” and “impurities.” The anyonic characteristics are demonstrated through the one-body correlator of the impurity, using a spin-charge separation analysis. The impurity plays the role of both creating and directly probing the anyonic correlations in a quantum many-body system, which are not accessible in the conventional anyon-Hubbard model. For a single impurity, our framework can be effectively implemented by applying tilt potentials in a strongly interacting quantum gas [2]. We further explore the dynamical properties of anyonic correlations and extend our analysis to the case of multiple impurities. Our work provides new avenues for engineering many-body anyonic behavior in quantum simulation platforms. [1] BW, A. Vashisht, Y. Guo, S. Dhar, M. Landini, H.-C. Nägerl, and N. Goldman, Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 253403 (2025). [2] S. Dhar, BW, M. Horvath, A. Vashisht, Y. Zeng, M. B. Zvonarev, and N. Goldman, Y. Guo, M. Landini, and H.-C. Nägerl, Nature 642, 53 (2025).

Quantum gas microscopes are a versatile tool to study the Fermi–Hubbard model in flexible lattice geometries and in temperature regimes that are at the limits of (or surpassing) current numerical methods. Here we report on ongoing efforts to develop a next-generation lithium-6 quantum gas microscope aimed at accessing state-of-the-art temperatures and more versatile lattice configurations. In particular, we seek to mitigate fermionic hole heating through a carefully engineered vacuum system and the use of further-detuned trapping potentials, which may enable temperatures below those currently achieved in existing quantum gas microscope platforms. In parallel, we are developing flexible trapping potentials by designing more versatile super-lattice schemes and combining incoherent light sources with multiple types of spatial light modulators. This approach is intended to facilitate the study of extended Fermi–Hubbard models, including next-nearest neighbor tunneling and multi-band models, while preserving the ability to implement entropy-redistribution techniques for the preparation of low-entropy states and single-shot spin readout to access to more observables.

Neutral atoms provide a versatile platform for exploring many-body quantum phenomena, ranging from digital quantum computing to quantum simulation. Introducing dual-species further enriches this platform by enabling the study of richer physical models, such as mixed-species dynamics and central-spin systems. In this talk, we present recent progress on a dual-species neutral-atom platform composed of ytterbium (Yb) and rubidium (Rb). We report the first observation of Förster resonances between Rydberg states of the two atomic species and demonstrate the ability to engineer interspecies interactions. These results open new opportunities for exploring dipolar many-body dynamics in mixed-species Rydberg systems, including the emergence of hydrodynamic behavior in interacting Rb–Yb Rydberg systems.

We propose a novel scheme to realize non-Abelian dynamical gauge field for ultracold fermions, and uncover a new pairing mechanism for topological superfluidity. The dynamical gauge fields arise from a nontrivial compensation effect between the large Zeeman detuning and strong Hubbard interaction in a two-dimensional (2D) optical Raman lattice. The spin-flip transitions are forbidden by the large Zeeman detuning, but restored when the Zeeman splitting is compensated by Hubbard interaction, generating a dynamical non-Abelian gauge field that leads to a correlated 2D spin-orbit interaction depending on local state configurations. The topological superfluid from a novel pairing driven by 2D dynamical gauge fields is reached with high feasibility, showing a broad phase region without competing orders at relevant fillings, and can be easily prepared in experiment. Our work can open up an avenue to emulate non-Abelian dynamical gauge fields and exotic correlated topological phases with feasibility and particularly, paves the way for realizing the non-Abelian topological superfluids.