Ultracold atoms have emerged as a transformative frontier in quantum simulation, offering unprecedented control over quantum many-body systems through tunable interactions, engineered lattice geometries, and long-range couplings. By trapping and cooling neutral atoms to nanokelvin temperatures, ultracold quantum gases provide clean and highly controllable platforms for realizing paradigmatic models of strongly correlated matter—from the Hubbard model in optical lattices to spin systems with programmable interactions—enabling the exploration of correlated and topological quantum phases that are difficult to access in conventional materials.
Recent breakthroughs have highlighted the remarkable versatility of ultracold atomic platforms as highly tunable quantum simulators. In optical lattices and, more recently, in arrays of Rydberg atoms, engineered lattice geometries and strong, long-range dipole–dipole interactions can host a rich variety of quantum phenomena, including quantum magnetism, spin liquids, topological phases, and entanglement dynamics, all of which can be controlled through Feshbach resonances, laser addressing, and the Rydberg blockade. This exceptional tunability, together with the ability to engineer interactions and geometry on demand, makes ultracold atoms and Rydberg arrays powerful quantum simulators for investigating strongly correlated, topological, and nonequilibrium quantum phenomena.
This special topic seeks cutting-edge contributions on quantum simulation with ultracold atoms and Rydberg arrays, covering the Hubbard model and strongly correlated physics in optical lattices, programmable Rydberg atom arrays for spin models and quantum magnetism, synthetic gauge fields and topological states, long-range interactions and many-body dynamics, quantum thermalization and entanglement, as well as advances in cooling, trapping, and detection techniques that push the scale, fidelity, and controllability of cold-atom quantum simulators.
We invite reviews, views & perspectives, and original research to map the field's theoretical and experimental frontiers. Publication fees are waived, and all articles will be open access. Manuscripts should be submitted online at https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/fop.
· Original Research (Regular Article) reports complete, self-contained novel findings. There is no mandatory word limit. Manuscripts typically range from 6,000 to 12,000 words, with 5–10 figures and optional tables. Detailed raw data and lengthy derivations can be placed in supplemental materials.
· While there are no strict length restrictions for articles, reviews should have a minimum length of 15 pages. Two categories of review articles are welcome: i) Review: A comprehensive, authoritative overview of an established or rapidly maturing research area, suitable as an entry point for graduate students. Length: >30 journal pages (approximately 20,000–40,000 words); figures: 15–50. ii) Topical Review: A focused, self-contained survey of a specific emerging topic or technique. Length: 15–25 journal pages (approximately 8,000–15,000 words); figures: 5–15.
· The Views & Perspectives article is structured as a concise, forward-looking commentary. The manuscript length is 3,000–5,000 words, accompanied by 1–3 figures that provide compact, high-level schematic summaries and key conceptual illustrations. No excessive technical derivations or redundant graphical materials are included, in line with the column’s goal of delivering accessible, insightful, and perspective-oriented discussions of emerging research trends.
Sincerely,
Bo Yan (Zhejiang University)
E-mail: yanbohang@zju.edu.cn
https://person.zju.edu.cn/en/boyan