Optical quantum simulation of Abelian gauge field using cold atomic ensembles coupled with arrays of optical cavities

A potentially practical scheme is proposed to realize optical quantum simulation of artificial Abelian gauge field in a scalable architecture consisting of cold atomic ensembles with optical cavities. In the present model, the collective excitations of cold atomic ensembles can be converted to the bosonic modes within the low-excitation limit, where the structure of two-dimension (2D) square plaquette enables the polaritons to move like a charged particle subjected to an external magnetic field. We find that the energy spectrum of this hybrid system exhibits a shape of Hofstadter buttery. Our work provides a different perspective to the quantum simulation of condensed matter and many-body physics in the context of cavity quantum electrodynamics. The experimental feasibility are justified using the existing techniques.