Physikalisches Kolloquium: Correlated topological matter: news and views from quantum simulation

The Physics Colloquium is a series of lectures at the Institute of Physics. This week, Prof Nathan Goldman presents his current research work:
Considerable efforts are currently focused on realizing correlated topological phases in quantum-engineered systems, with the aim of manipulating their exotic properties within a highly controlled environment. In this context, remarkable progress has recently led to the observation of fractional quantum Hall states, using small ensembles of atoms or photons. This Colloquium starts with a brief overview of the
current state of the art, followed by concrete proposals to improve the preparation of quantum Hall states in ultracold atomic gases. The second part of the Colloquium is dedicated to intriguing phenomena that could be specifically revealed in synthetic topological quantum matter, including topological polarons and spatially resolved quantized responses. Prospects of realizing Majorana zero modes and chiral spin
liquids in quantum simulators will also be discussed.