Measuring Hopf links and Hopf invariants in a quenched topological Raman lattice

Abstract: In a recent experimental work [Z. Wu et al., Science 354, 83 (2016)], the PKU-USTC group realized a two-dimensional two-band quantum anomalous Hall model on a square Raman lattice. By quenching the atom-laser detuning of such a Raman lattice, the time-dependent Bloch vectors for each quasimomentum points define a Hopf mapping from quasimomentum-time space $(k_x,k_y,t)\in T^3$ to the Bloch sphere $S^2$. The Hopf links between the preimages of any two Bloch vectors on $S^2$ can be measured experimentally through Bloch state tomography using spin-resolved time-of-flight measurement together with suitable radio-frequency manipulations. The dynamical Hopf invariants, which are quasimomentum-time integrations of Chern-Simons densities, can also be extracted experimentally through certain quench processes. As the Hopf invariant equals the Chern number of the post-quench Hamiltonian, the measurements of Hopf links and Hopf invariants provide an alternative way of understanding the topological phase diagram of the equilibrium system.