Artificial Magnetic Fields in Momentum Space in Spin-Orbit Coupled Systems

Abstract

The Berry curvature is a geometrical property of an energy band which can act as a momentum space magnetic field in the effective Hamiltonian of a wide range of systems. We apply the effective Hamiltonian to a spin-1/2 particle in two dimensions with spin-orbit coupling, a Zeeman field and an additional harmonic trap. Depending on the parameter regime, we show how this system can be described in momentum space as either a Fock-Darwin Hamiltonian or a one-dimensional ring pierced by a magnetic flux. With this perspective, we interpret important single-particle properties, and identify analogue magnetic phenomena in momentum space. Finally we discuss the extension of this work to higher spin systems, as well as experimental applications in ultracold atomic gases and photonic systems.