We introduce generic bosonic models exemplifying that chiral Meissner currents can persist in insulating phases of matter. We first consider interacting bosons on a two-leg ladder. The total density sector can be gapped in a bosonic Mott insulator at odd-integer filling, while the relative density sector remains superfluid due to interchain hopping. Coupling the relative density to gauge fields yields a pseudospin Meissner effect. We show that the same phase arises if the bosons are replaced by spinful fermions confined in Cooper pairs, and find a dual fermionic Mott insulator with spinon currents. We prove that, by tuning the mean density, the Mott insulator with Meissner currents turns into a low-dimensional bosonic $\ensuremath{\nu}=\frac{1}{2}$ Laughlin state for strong enough repulsive interactions across the ladder rungs. We finally discuss extensions to multileg ladders and bilayers in which spinon superfluids with Meissner currents become possible. We propose two experimental realizations, one with ultracold atoms in the setup of Atala et al. [Nat. Phys. 10, 588 (2014)] and another with Josephson junction arrays. We also address a Bose-Fermi mixture subject to a magnetic field in connection with the pseudogap phase of high- ${T}_{c}$ cuprates.We introduce generic bosonic models exemplifying that chiral Meissner currents can persist in insulating phases of matter. We first consider interacting bosons on a two-leg ladder. The total density sector can be gapped in a bosonic Mott insulator at odd-integer filling, while the relative density sector remains superfluid due to interchain hopping. Coupling the relative density to gauge fields yields a pseudospin Meissner effect. We show that the same phase arises if the bosons are replaced by spinful fermions confined in Cooper pairs, and find a dual fermionic Mott insulator with spinon currents. We prove that, by tuning the mean density, the Mott insulator with Meissner currents turns into a low-dimensional bosonic $\ensuremath{\nu}=\frac{1}{2}$ Laughlin state for strong enough repulsive interactions across the ladder rungs. We finally discuss extensions to multileg ladders and bilayers in which spinon superfluids with Meissner currents become possible. We propose two experimental realizations, one with ultracold atoms in the setup of Atala et al. [Nat. Phys. 10, 588 (2014)] and another with Josephson junction arrays. We also address a Bose-Fermi mixture subject to a magnetic field in connection with the pseudogap phase of high-${T}_{c}$ cuprates.

arXiv:1410.6105Physical Review BFeb 26, 201583 citations

Bosonic Mott Insulator with Meissner Currents

Alexandru Petrescu, Karyn Le Hur

We introduce a generic bosonic model exemplifying that (spin) Meissner currents can persist in insulating phases of matter. We consider two species of interacting bosons on a lattice. Our model exhibits separation of charge (total density) and spin (relative density): the charge sector is gapped in a bosonic Mott insulator phase with total density one, while the spin sector remains superfluid due to interspecies conversion. Coupling the spin sector to the gauge fields yields a spin Meissner effect reflecting the long-range spin superfluid coherence. We investigate the resulting phase diagram and describe other possible spin phases of matter in the Mott regime possessing chiral currents as well as a spin-density wave phase. The model presented here is realizable in Josephson junction arrays and in cold atom experiments.We introduce a generic bosonic model exemplifying that (spin) Meissner currents can persist in insulating phases of matter. We consider two species of interacting bosons on a lattice. Our model exhibits separation of charge (total density) and spin (relative density): the charge sector is gapped in a bosonic Mott insulator phase with total density one, while the spin sector remains superfluid due to interspecies conversion. Coupling the spin sector to the gauge fields yields a spin Meissner effect reflecting the long-range spin superfluid coherence. We investigate the resulting phase diagram and describe other possible spin phases of matter in the Mott regime possessing chiral currents as well as a spin-density wave phase. The model presented here is realizable in Josephson junction arrays and in cold atom experiments.

arXiv:1306.5986Physical Review LettersOct 7, 2013104 citations

Field-induced chirality in a frustrated quantum spin ladder

M. Pikulski

Jan 1, 20171 citation

Chiral magnetism and spin liquid Mott insulators induced by synthetic gauge fields

Arun Paramekanti, Ciarán Hickey, Łukasz Cincio +3 more

Bulletin of the American Physical SocietyMay 26, 20160 citations

Study of the hidden orders in quantum spin ladders

S. J. Gibson

Jan 1, 20100 citations

{T}_{c}

cuprates.