• Editors' Suggestion

Measurement of Chern numbers through center-of-mass responses

H. M. Price, O. Zilberberg, T. Ozawa, I. Carusotto, and N. Goldman
Phys. Rev. B 93, 245113 – Published 6 June 2016

Abstract

Probing the center-of-mass of an ultracold atomic cloud can be used to measure Chern numbers, the topological invariants underlying the quantum Hall effects. In this work, we show how such center-of-mass observables can have a much richer dependence on topological invariants than previously discussed. In fact, the response of the center of mass depends not only on the current density, typically measured in a solid-state system, but also on the particle density, which itself can be sensitive to the topology of the band structure. We apply a semiclassical approach, supported by numerical simulations, to highlight the key differences between center-of-mass responses and more standard conductivity measurements. We illustrate this by analyzing both the two- and four-dimensional quantum Hall effects. These results have important implications for experiments in engineered topological systems, such as ultracold gases and photonics.

  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Received 29 February 2016

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.93.245113

©2016 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

H. M. Price1,*, O. Zilberberg2, T. Ozawa1, I. Carusotto1, and N. Goldman3,†

  • 1INO-CNR BEC Center and Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Trento, I-38123 Povo, Italy
  • 2Institute for Theoretical Physics, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
  • 3CENOLI, Faculté des Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles (U.L.B.), B-1050 Brussels, Belgium

  • *hannah.price@unitn.it
  • ngoldman@ulb.ac.be

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 93, Iss. 24 — 15 June 2016

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review B

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×