Simulating the Majorana dynamics with ultracold atomic gases in a bilayer honeycomb lattice

Abstract

Cold atomic gases in a hexagonal optical lattice is a highly effective quantum simulator for exploring graphenelike physics. In this paper, we propose a feasible scheme to simulate and detect the Majorana dynamics with cold atoms in a bilayer hexagonal lattice. We explore the dynamics of a general Majorana particle, in which three key observables featuring the Majorana dynamics are studied, which include the pseudoenergy, orthogonality, and the fidelity. The results reveal that the fidelity is a good observable to distinguish Majorana from Dirac or Weyl dynamics. Through the decomposition of the Majorana equation, we address the Majorana Zitterbewegung, which is indeed the addition of two Dirac Zitterbewegung. Finally, we present a method to detect the Majorana dynamics with the quantum-state tomography implemented with quenches. Our scheme may provide an avenue for observing the phenomena described by the Majorana equation through bilayer graphene lattices.