Cyclotron dynamics of a Kondo singlet in a spin-orbit-coupled alkaline-earth-metal atomic gas

Abstract

We propose a scheme to investigate the interplay between Kondo-exchange interaction and quantum spin Hall effect with ultracold fermionic alkaline-earth atoms trapped in two-dimensional optical lattices using ultracold collision and laser-assisted tunneling. In the strong Kondo-coupling regime, though the loop trajectory of the mobile atom disappears, collective dynamics of an atom pair in two clock states can exhibit an unexpected spin-dependent cyclotron orbit in a plaquette, realizing the quantum spin Hall effect of the Kondo singlet. We demonstrate that the collective cyclotron dynamics of the spin-zero Kondo singlet is governed by an effective Harper-Hofstadter model in addition to second-order diagonal tunneling.