Mott-insulator dynamics

Journal Article · Thu Sep 15 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Physical Review. A

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVA.84.033603· OSTI ID:22068748

Lundh, Emil ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics, Umeaa University, 901 87 Umeaa (Sweden)

The hydrodynamics of a lattice Bose gas in a time-dependent external potential is studied in a mean-field approximation. The conditions under which a Mott insulating region can melt, and the local density can adjust to the new potential, are determined. In the case of a suddenly switched potential, it is found that the Mott insulator stays insulating and the density will not adjust if the switch is too abrupt. This comes about because too rapid currents result in Bloch oscillation-type current reversals. For a stirrer moved through a Mott insulating cloud, it is seen that only if the stirrer starts in a superfluid region and the velocity is comparable to the time scale set by the tunneling will the Mott insulator be affected.

• OSTI ID: 22068748
• Journal Information: Physical Review. A, Vol. 84, Issue 3; Other Information: (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: Syrian Arab Republic; ISSN 1050-2947
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
APPROXIMATIONS
BOSE-EINSTEIN GAS
CURRENTS
DENSITY
HYDRODYNAMICS
MEAN-FIELD THEORY
OSCILLATIONS
POTENTIALS
SUPERFLUIDITY
TIME DEPENDENCE
TUNNEL EFFECT
VELOCITY