@article {1185, title = {Realizing Fractional Chern Insulators with Dipolar Spins}, journal = {Physical Review Letters}, volume = {110}, year = {2013}, month = {2013/4/29}, abstract = { Strongly correlated quantum systems can exhibit exotic behavior controlled by topology. We predict that the \nu=1/2 fractional Chern insulator arises naturally in a two-dimensional array of driven, dipolar-interacting spins. As a specific implementation, we analyze how to prepare and detect synthetic gauge potentials for the rotational excitations of ultra-cold polar molecules trapped in a deep optical lattice. While the orbital motion of the molecules is pinned, at finite densities, the rotational excitations form a fractional Chern insulator. We present a detailed experimental blueprint for KRb, and demonstrate that the energetics are consistent with near-term capabilities. Prospects for the realization of such phases in solid-state dipolar systems are discussed as are their possible applications. }, doi = {10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.185302}, url = {http://arxiv.org/abs/1212.4839v1}, author = {Norman Y. Yao and Alexey V. Gorshkov and Chris R. Laumann and Andreas M. L{\"a}uchli and Jun Ye and Mikhail D. Lukin} }