Recent experiments have made it possible to spatially control local two-body interactions between ultracold atoms in inhomogeneous optical lattices. Motivated by this experimental progress, here we study theoretically one-dimensional trapped fermionic optical lattices with spatially modulated on-site interactions. The density matrix renormalization group method is used to examine the ground state phase diagram of a harmonically trapped Hubbard model with spatially alternating on-site repulsive interactions, U 1 and U 2 . With varying the strength of the harmonic trapping potential, we find a pair correlated metallic state in the ground state phase diagram, which can be stable only when U 1 ≠ U 2 . We discuss the properties of this possibly new state by examining various static physical quantities.Recent experiments have made it possible to spatially control local two-body interactions between ultracold atoms in inhomogeneous optical lattices. Motivated by this experimental progress, here we study theoretically one-dimensional trapped fermionic optical lattices with spatially modulated on-site interactions. The density matrix renormalization group method is used to examine the ground state phase diagram of a harmonically trapped Hubbard model with spatially alternating on-site repulsive interactions, U 1 and U 2 . With varying the strength of the harmonic trapping potential, we find a pair correlated metallic state in the ground state phase diagram, which can be stable only when U 1 ≠ U 2 . We discuss the properties of this possibly new state by examining various static physical quantities.

Journal of Physics Conference SeriesAug 12, 20130 citations

A Closer Look at Fermions in Optical Lattices

Daniel Pertot, Luke Miller, Eugenio Cocchi +5 more

Bulletin of the American Physical SocietyJun 4, 20140 citations

Low-noise optical lattices for ultracold Li6

Sebastian Blatt, Anton Mazurenko, Maxwell F. Parsons +3 more

We demonstrate stable, long-term trapping of fermionic $^{6}\mathrm{Li}$ atoms in an optical lattice with MHz trap frequencies for use in a quantum gas microscope. Adiabatic release from the optical lattice in the object plane of a high-numerical-aperture imaging system allows a measurement of the population distribution among the lowest three bands in both radial directions with atom numbers as low as $7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{2}$. We measure exponential ground band heating rates as low as 0.014(1) ${\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ corresponding to a radial ground-state $1/e$ lifetime of $71(5)\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{s}$ , fundamentally limited by scattering of lattice photons. For all lattice depths above 2 recoil, we find radial ground-state lifetimes $\ensuremath{\ge}1.6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{6}$ recoil times.We demonstrate stable, long-term trapping of fermionic $^{6}\mathrm{Li}$ atoms in an optical lattice with MHz trap frequencies for use in a quantum gas microscope. Adiabatic release from the optical lattice in the object plane of a high-numerical-aperture imaging system allows a measurement of the population distribution among the lowest three bands in both radial directions with atom numbers as low as $7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{2}$. We measure exponential ground band heating rates as low as 0.014(1) ${\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ corresponding to a radial ground-state $1/e$ lifetime of $71(5)\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{s}$, fundamentally limited by scattering of lattice photons. For all lattice depths above 2 recoil, we find radial ground-state lifetimes $\ensuremath{\ge}1.6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{6}$ recoil times.

arXiv:1505.00758Physical Review AAug 14, 201535 citations

We demonstrate stable, long-term trapping of fermionic

^{6}\mathrm{Li}

atoms in an optical lattice with MHz trap frequencies for use in a quantum gas microscope. Adiabatic release from the optical lattice in the object plane of a high-numerical-aperture imaging system allows a measurement of the population distribution among the lowest three bands in both radial directions with atom numbers as low as $7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{2}$. We measure exponential ground band heating rates as low as 0.014(1) ${\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ corresponding to a radial ground-state

1/e

lifetime of

71(5)\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{s}

, fundamentally limited by scattering of lattice photons. For all lattice depths above 2 recoil, we find radial ground-state lifetimes $\ensuremath{\ge}1.6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{6}$ recoil times.