Route to observing topological edge modes in ultracold fermions

Abstract

We show how to exploit the rich hyperfine structure of fermionic alkali atoms to produce a quasi-1D topological superfluid while avoiding excessive heating from off-resonant scattering. We model interacting fermions where four hyperfine states are coupled by a variety of optical and microwave fields. We calculate the local density of states in a trap, finding regimes with zero energy topological edge modes. Heating rates in this system are significantly suppressed compared to simple Raman-induced spin-orbit coupling approaches.