Spin-Orbit (SO) coupling, as a fundamental quantum effect, is an essential ingredient in many topological phases of quantum matters, like topological insulator and topological semiconductor. To synthesize 2-dimensional (2D) SO coupling with ultracold quantum gases is one of the keys in the field of quantum simulation to study topological quantum matters. We report here the realization of a robust and highly controllable 2D SO coupling with topological non-trivial band structure. By applying a retro-reflected 2D optical lattice, the synthesized 2D SO coupling has precise inversion and C4 symmetries. The non-trivial band topology of the 2D SO coupling is precisely addressed by both equilibrium and non-equilibrium processes. Winding numbers and topological charges are also extracted from the post-quench evolution. Novel dynamical topological quantum matter is also synthesized. Our studies open the new avenue in quantum simulation to explore exotic topological matters with non-equilibrium dynamics.

报告人简介：中国科学技术大学／中国科学院量子信息与量子技术创新研究院教授，曾入选中国科学院百人计划（2009年）。致力于发展光与超冷原子的量子调控技术并系统性的应用于量子模拟、量子信息处理、和量子精密测量等多个方向。近几年来在冷原子物理，尤其是对人工规范场的超冷原子量子模拟方向和精密测量等领域取得了多项重要进展。首次在超冷玻色气体中实现二维自旋轨道耦合，并精确的测定了其拓扑特性。在包括Science、Nature、Nature子刊、Physical Review Letters 等国际权威学术期刊上发表30余篇研究论文，多次获邀在重要国际会议和国际著名学术机构做报告。目前在科技部重点专项超冷原子的量子模拟项目中担任课题负责人。