Realization of a Bosonic Antiferromagnet

Understand

Quantum antiferromagnets are of broad interest in condensed matter physics as they provide a platform for studying exotic many-body states including spin liquids and high-temperature superconductors.

• Here, we report on the creation of a one-dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnet with ultracold bosons.
• In a two-component Bose-Hubbard system, we switch the sign of the spin-exchange interaction and realize the isotropic antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model in an extended 70-site chain.
• Starting from a low-entropy N\'eel-ordered state, we use optimized adiabatic passage to approach the bosonic antiferromagnet.