Wave-packet dynamic in a SU(2) non-Abelian Gauge field

Non-Abelian gauge field plays an important role in high-energy physics through Yang-Mill theory, in condensed-matter physics, for instance, with anomalous quantum Hall effect, and in quantum information. In its SU(2) symmetry version, Hamiltonians with non-Abelian gauge field reduce to spin-orbit coupling-like systems, taking the general form: H = p 2 /2m+ A.p /m , where m is the mass of the particle, p the momentum and A the non-Abelian gauge field with 2x2 matrix components, decomposed on SU(2) Lie group generators. These class of Hamiltonians can be simulate with ultracold gas [1] using various methods [2] . The topological properties of spin-orbit-coupled system have been explore analysing the energy bands in 2D Fermionic system [3] . Here, the eigenenergies have momentum dependence, leading to Rabi flopping with periodic change of quasi-momentum, even if the non-Abelian gauge field is homogenous. This oscillation is similar to relativistic Zitterbewegung predicted in Dirac equation and simulated in ultracold system [4] .