Interactions control and drive the collective dynamics and emergence of correlations and patterns in many-body systems. Dissipative (i.e., non-conservative) interactions are particularly interesting as they give rise to exotic non-equilibrium dynamics and generate novel topological phases. Moreover, they are a key ingredient to engineer non-reciprocal interactions, which have many applications for quantum sensing.
In my talk, I will introduce a novel many-body quantum system: a trap array of nanoparticles that interact via highly tunable light-induced dipole-dipole forces. I will show how we realize quantum control over the motion of a single particle and program arbitrary non-Hermitian dynamics in a particle array. Finally, I will present a recent observation of a collective mechanical phase that stems from the non-reciprocal interaction, which demonstrates the potential of this system to explore complex non-equilibrium phenomena.
Host: David Moore (david.c.moore@yale.edu)
