Disorder can be applied to transform conducting to insulating states by localizing individual quantum particles. The interplay between disorder and interactions in many-particle systems leads to a richer tapestry of quantum phase transitions. Here, we report the measurement in an ultracold lattice gas of a disorder-induced transition from a state with small disorder-independent compressibility to a state for which compressibility increases with disorder. At zero temperature this is the transition from a Mott insulator (MI) to a Bose glass (BG), both of which are insulating states. This transformation is observed using measurements of core compressibility. By determining how double occupancy changes with atom number, we identify the threshold disorder strength required to switch from disorder-independent MI-like to disorder-dependent BG-like compressible behavior.Disorder can be applied to transform conducting to insulating states by localizing individual quantum particles. The interplay between disorder and interactions in many-particle systems leads to a richer tapestry of quantum phase transitions. Here, we report the measurement in an ultracold lattice gas of a disorder-induced transition from a state with small disorder-independent compressibility to a state for which compressibility increases with disorder. At zero temperature this is the transition from a Mott insulator (MI) to a Bose glass (BG), both of which are insulating states. This transformation is observed using measurements of core compressibility. By determining how double occupancy changes with atom number, we identify the threshold disorder strength required to switch from disorder-independent MI-like to disorder-dependent BG-like compressible behavior.

arXiv:2506.16466Jun 19, 20250 citations

The Mott Metal-Insulator Transition

Florian Gebhard

Springer tracts in modern physicsJan 1, 1997522 citations

Theory of Mott Insulators

B. H. Brandow

NATO ASI series. Series B : PhysicsJan 1, 19882 citations

Artificial SU(3) spin-orbit coupling and exotic Mott insulators

Mohsen Hafez-Torbati, Walter Hofstetter

Motivated by recent progress in the realization of artificial gauge fields and SU( $N$ ) Mott insulators using alkaline-earth-like atoms in optical lattices, we develop an unbiased SU( $N$ ) real-space dynamical mean-field theory approach to study the effect of spin-orbit coupling and on-site Hubbard interaction $U$ on SU(3) fermionic systems. We investigate the behavior of the local magnetization, double occupancies, and the triple occupancy versus the Hubbard interaction across the metal to Mott insulator transition. We map out the magnetic phase diagram in the large- $U$ limit and show that the spin-orbit coupling can stabilize long-range orders such as ferromagnets, spirals, and stripes with different orientations in SU(3) Mott insulators.Motivated by recent progress in the realization of artificial gauge fields and SU($N$) Mott insulators using alkaline-earth-like atoms in optical lattices, we develop an unbiased SU($N$) real-space dynamical mean-field theory approach to study the effect of spin-orbit coupling and on-site Hubbard interaction $U$ on SU(3) fermionic systems. We investigate the behavior of the local magnetization, double occupancies, and the triple occupancy versus the Hubbard interaction across the metal to Mott insulator transition. We map out the magnetic phase diagram in the large-$U$ limit and show that the spin-orbit coupling can stabilize long-range orders such as ferromagnets, spirals, and stripes with different orientations in SU(3) Mott insulators.

arXiv:1809.05704Physical review. B./Physical review. BDec 20, 201825 citations

Motivated by recent progress in the realization of artificial gauge fields and SU(

N

) Mott insulators using alkaline-earth-like atoms in optical lattices, we develop an unbiased SU(

N

) real-space dynamical mean-field theory approach to study the effect of spin-orbit coupling and on-site Hubbard interaction

U

on SU(3) fermionic systems. We investigate the behavior of the local magnetization, double occupancies, and the triple occupancy versus the Hubbard interaction across the metal to Mott insulator transition. We map out the magnetic phase diagram in the large-

U

limit and show that the spin-orbit coupling can stabilize long-range orders such as ferromagnets, spirals, and stripes with different orientations in SU(3) Mott insulators.