Abstract
We propose and characterize solid-state photonic structures where light experiences an artificial gauge field. A nontrivial phase for photons tunneling between adjacent sites of a coupled cavity array can be obtained by inserting optically active materials in the structure or by inducing a suitable coupling of the propagation and polarization degrees of freedom. We also discuss the feasibility of observing strong gauge field effects in the optical spectra of realistic systems, including the Hofstadter butterfly spectrum.
1 More- Received 20 April 2011
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.84.043804
©2011 American Physical Society