Strongly-correlated electrons in transition-metal oxides give rise to intriguing emergent phenomena, including high-temperature superconductivity in cuprates. While simplified one-band Hubbard models capture some aspects, explicitly describing the interplay of copper and oxygen orbitals -- as in the three-band Emery model -- is essential to capture the full phenomenology of cuprates. Quantum simulators based on ultracold atoms offer a promising route to study such systems in a controlled setting, but realizing realistic multi-orbital Hubbard models remains challenging. Here we propose an optical superlattice architecture that implements the three-band Emery model with ultracold fermions. By combining lattice beams with controllable interference, we engineer orbital degrees of freedom that reproduce key features of the cuprate band structure, while enabling independent control of orbital-dependent interactions and charge-transfer energy. We show that single-particle quantum walks can benchmark the resulting tight-binding model. Using determinant quantum Monte Carlo, we further investigate thermodynamic properties in the undoped regime and find a finite-temperature metal-insulator crossover accompanied by the onset of antiferromagnetic correlations accessible in current experiments. Finally, we apply a Hamiltonian learning protocol enabling to infer effective single-band Hubbard models from experimental realizations of Emery models. Our results provide a practical pathway to simulate multi-orbital Hubbard physics with quantum gas microscopes.Strongly-correlated electrons in transition-metal oxides give rise to intriguing emergent phenomena, including high-temperature superconductivity in cuprates. While simplified one-band Hubbard models capture some aspects, explicitly describing the interplay of copper and oxygen orbitals -- as in the three-band Emery model -- is essential to capture the full phenomenology of cuprates. Quantum simulators based on ultracold atoms offer a promising route to study such systems in a controlled setting, but realizing realistic multi-orbital Hubbard models remains challenging. Here we propose an optical superlattice architecture that implements the three-band Emery model with ultracold fermions. By combining lattice beams with controllable interference, we engineer orbital degrees of freedom that reproduce key features of the cuprate band structure, while enabling independent control of orbital-dependent interactions and charge-transfer energy. We show that single-particle quantum walks can benchmark the resulting tight-binding model. Using determinant quantum Monte Carlo, we further investigate thermodynamic properties in the undoped regime and find a finite-temperature metal-insulator crossover accompanied by the onset of antiferromagnetic correlations accessible in current experiments. Finally, we apply a Hamiltonian learning protocol enabling to infer effective single-band Hubbard models from experimental realizations of Emery models. Our results provide a practical pathway to simulate multi-orbital Hubbard physics with quantum gas microscopes.

cond-mat.quant-gasCross-listedarXiv:2604.22955Apr 28, 20260 citations

Local Moment Approach to Multi-Orbital Anderson and Hubbard Models

Anna Kauch, Krzysztof Byczuk

arXiv:0902.0296NATO science for peace and security series. B, Physics and biophysicsJan 1, 20081 citation

Finite-temperature phase diagram of the Hubbard model

G. Migliorini, A. Nihat Berker

arXiv:cond-mat/9811233The European Physical Journal BAug 1, 20004 citations

Finite-temperature Mott transitions in the multiorbital Hubbard model

Kensuke Inaba, Akihisa Koga, Sei-ichiro Suga +1 more

We investigate the Mott transitions in the multiorbital Hubbard model at half-filling by means of the self-energy functional approach. The phase diagrams are obtained at finite temperatures for the Hubbard model with up to fourfold degenerate bands. We discuss how the first-order Mott transition points ${U}_{c1}$ and ${U}_{c2}$ as well as the critical temperature ${T}_{c}$ depend on the orbital degeneracy. It is elucidated that enhanced orbital fluctuations play a key role to control the Mott transitions in the multiorbital Hubbard model.We investigate the Mott transitions in the multiorbital Hubbard model at half-filling by means of the self-energy functional approach. The phase diagrams are obtained at finite temperatures for the Hubbard model with up to fourfold degenerate bands. We discuss how the first-order Mott transition points ${U}_{c1}$ and ${U}_{c2}$ as well as the critical temperature ${T}_{c}$ depend on the orbital degeneracy. It is elucidated that enhanced orbital fluctuations play a key role to control the Mott transitions in the multiorbital Hubbard model.

arXiv:cond-mat/0506150Physical Review BAug 8, 200552 citations

{U}_{c1}

and

{U}_{c2}

as well as the critical temperature

{T}_{c}

depend on the orbital degeneracy. It is elucidated that enhanced orbital fluctuations play a key role to control the Mott transitions in the multiorbital Hubbard model.