  Recent atomic physics experiments and numerical works have reported
complementary signatures of the emergence of a topological quantum spin liquid
in models with blockade interactions. However, the specific mechanism
stabilizing such a phase remains unclear. Here, we introduce an exact relation
between an Ising-Higgs lattice gauge theory on the kagome lattice and blockaded
models on Ruby lattices. This relation elucidates the origin of previously
observed topological spin liquids by directly linking the latter to a
deconfined phase of a solvable gauge theory. By means of exact diagonalization
and unbiased quantum Monte Carlo simulations, we show that the deconfined
phases extend in a broad region of the parameter space; these states are
characterized by a large ground state overlap with resonating valence bond
wavefunctions. These blockaded models include both creation/annihilation and
hopping dynamics, and can be experimentally realized with Rydberg-dressed
atoms, offering novel and controllable platforms for the engineering and
characterisation of spin liquid states.
