Viele funda­men­tale Phäno­mene in Festkör­pern werden durch die topolo­gi­schen Eigen­schaf­ten des Systems hervor­ge­ru­fen. Im Rahmen des Projek­tes wurde ein neues Quanten­gas­ex­pe­ri­men­tes entwor­fen und entwi­ckelt, welches für das Studium topolo­gi­scher Systeme optimiert ist.

Dieses auf Caesium basie­rende Experi­ment kombi­niert zustands­ab­hän­gige Gitter als neuar­tige Methode zur Erzeu­gung komple­xer Topolo­gien mit moder­nen Werkzeu­gen wie hochauf­lö­sen­den Mikroskopen.

In modern conden­sed matter physics topology plays a funda­men­tal role in the classi­fi­ca­tion of phases of matter. A promi­nent example is the quantum Hall effect disco­vered in two-dimen­sio­nal electron gases under extreme condi­ti­ons. Quantum Hall insula­tors are isola­ting in the bulk, but exhibit conduc­ting edge states, which results in a quanti­sed Hall conduc­tance. The inter­play between topology and inter­ac­tions between partic­les gives rise to even more exotic pheno­mena. One example is the fractional quantum Hall effect where excita­ti­ons with fractional charges and statis­tics can occur. These topolo­gi­cal systems still pose many open questi­ons and their theore­ti­cal under­stan­ding and possi­ble reali­sa­ti­ons in physi­cal systems is at the current frontier of research.

This project is part of the new Caesium labora­tory of the Hector Fellow Immanuel Bloch. The goal of this project is the design and construc­tion of a new experi­men­tal quantum gas experi­ment, optimi­sed for the study of topolo­gi­cal systems. A central feature of this setup will be a novel techni­que for the creation of complex topolo­gi­cal quantum states using state-depen­dent optical latti­ces. This will elimi­nate many limita­ti­ons present in current experi­men­tal techni­ques. Additio­nally, the setup will incor­po­rate novel techni­ques such as the usage of high resolu­tion micro­sco­pes, allowing for the obser­va­tion of single atoms. This setup will open the path for new studies of topolo­gi­cal stron­gly-inter­ac­ting phases of matter.