Abstract

We study the quantum phases of bosons confined to a combined potential of a one-dimensional double-well optical lattice and a parabolic trap (two-legged ladders). We apply the time-evolving block decimation method to the corresponding ladders described by a two-legged Bose-Hubbard model. In the absence of a parabolic trap, the system of bosons in the double-well optical lattice exhibits a reentrant quantum phase transition between Mott insulator and superfluid phases at unit filling as the tilt of the double wells is increased. We show that this reentrant phase transition still occurs in the presence of a parabolic trap, and we suggest that it can be detected experimentally by measuring matter-wave interference patterns.

Publication Details
Publication Type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2008
Volume
77
DOI
10.1103/PhysRevA.77.063609
Journal
Physical Review A
Contributors