Preparation of the 1/2-Laughlin state with atoms in a rotating trap

The fast progress in ultracold atom experiments allows for studying strongly correlated quantum many-body states with unprecedented precision. Here we explore the quantum simulation of fractional quantum Hall states by a numerical study of four bosonic atoms in a quasi-two-dimensional rotating trap, which will act as a bosonic analog of electrons in a magnetic field. For rotation frequencies close to the in-plane trapping frequency, the ground state is predicted to be a bosonic Laughlin state at half filling. In particular, we illustrate how a thorough control of the rotation frequency and the ellipticity of the trapping potential enable us to prepare the Laughlin state. By accessing regions of large ellipticity and high angular momentum, we significantly improve the preparation time of the Laughlin state with high fidelity. Finally, we conclude that the present improvements of the adiabatic protocol allows to prepare the Laughlin state with current experimental technology.