TOPORYD · Topological quantum matter with Rydberg atom arrays

Topological quantum matter with Rydberg atom arrays

Recent advances in experimental control have enabled the realization of programmable quantum simulators for interacting many-body systems. A central challenge in this setting is to understand which types of strongly correlated quantum states can arise in experimentally accessible platforms, and how such states can subsequently be prepared and characterized under realistic conditions. This includes, in particular, topologically ordered phases and quantum spin liquids, which are of fundamental interest in many-body physics and relevant to the long-term development of quantum technologies. Rydberg atom arrays constitute a particularly versatile platform for addressing these questions. Their strong, tunable interactions and flexible geometry allow the implementation of constrained spin models that can give rise to frustration, collective effects, and a rich variety of correlated quantum phases. At the same time, the microscopic form of the interactions, finite system sizes, and experimental imperfections complicate both the identification of the relevant many-body states and the design of reliable preparation protocols. The objective of this project is to develop theoretical and numerical tools to identify and analyze the strongly correlated many-body states that can emerge in Rydberg-based quantum simulators, design and study protocols for their preparation, and characterize their properties and dynamics. While the initial motivation is the realization of topological phases, the project more broadly addresses the structure, controllability, and observability of complex many-body states in experimentally realistic settings, both in and out of equilibrium.

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