Quantum Spin Ice in Three-Dimensional Rydberg Atom Arrays
Quantum spin liquids are exotic phases of matter whose low-energy physics is described as the deconfined phase of an emergent gauge theory. With recent theory proposals and an experiment showing preliminary signs of Z_{2} topological order [G. Semeghini et al., Science 374, 1242 (2021)SCIEAS0036-807...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
American Physical Society
2025-02-01
|
| Series: | Physical Review X |
| Online Access: | http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevX.15.011025 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | Quantum spin liquids are exotic phases of matter whose low-energy physics is described as the deconfined phase of an emergent gauge theory. With recent theory proposals and an experiment showing preliminary signs of Z_{2} topological order [G. Semeghini et al., Science 374, 1242 (2021)SCIEAS0036-807510.1126/science.abi8794], Rydberg atom arrays have emerged as a promising platform to realize a quantum spin liquid. In this work, we propose a way to realize a U(1) quantum spin liquid in three spatial dimensions, described by the deconfined phase of U(1) gauge theory in a pyrochlore lattice Rydberg atom array. We study the ground state phase diagram of the proposed Rydberg system as a function of experimentally relevant parameters. Within our calculation, we find that by tuning the Rabi frequency, one can access both the confinement-deconfinement transition driven by a proliferation of “magnetic” monopoles and the Higgs transition driven by a proliferation of “electric” charges of the emergent gauge theory. We suggest experimental probes for distinguishing the deconfined phase from ordered phases. This work serves as a proposal to access a confinement-deconfinement transition in three spatial dimensions on a Rydberg-based quantum simulator. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2160-3308 |