Time-of-Flight Measurements as a Possible Method to Observe Anyonic Statistics

Abstract: We propose a standard time-of-flight experiment as a method for observing the anyonic statistics of quasiholes in a fractional quantum Hall state of ultracold atoms. The quasihole states can be stably prepared by pinning the quasiholes with localized potentials and a measurement of the mean square radius of the freely expanding cloud, which is related to the average total angular momentum of the initial state, offers direct signatures of the statistical phase. Our proposed method is validated by Monte Carlo calculations for $\nu=1/2$ and $1/3$ fractional quantum Hall liquids containing a realistic number of particles. Extensions to quantum Hall liquids of light and to non-Abelian anyons are briefly discussed.