Cavity-Vacuum-Induced Chiral Spin Liquids in Kagome Lattices: Tuning and Probing Topological Quantum Phases via Cavity Quantum Electrodynamics (2411.08121v2)

Abstract: Topological phases in frustrated quantum magnetic systems have captivated researchers for decades, with the chiral spin liquid (CSL) standing out as one of the most compelling examples. Featured by long-range entanglement, topological order, and exotic fractional excitations, the CSL has inspired extensive exploration for practical realizations. In this work, we demonstrate that CSLs can emerge in a kagome lattice driven by vacuum quantum fluctuations within a single-mode chiral cavity. The chiral cavity imprints quantum fluctuations with time-reversal symmetry breaking, fostering chiral interactions among electrons and stabilizing a robust CSL phase without external laser excitation. Moreover, we identify experimentally accessible observables -- such as average photon number and transport properties -- that reveal connections between photon dynamics and the emergent chiral order. Our findings establish a novel pathway for creating, controlling, and probing topological and symmetry-breaking quantum phases in strongly correlated systems.