Mott Transitions of Three-Component Fermionic Atoms with Repulsive Interaction in Optical Lattices

TL;DR

This paper explores the complex Mott transitions in three-component fermionic atoms in optical lattices, revealing novel insulating states and proposing experimental detection methods.

Contribution

It introduces new Mott insulating phases in three-component fermionic systems with SU(3) symmetry breaking, expanding understanding of strongly correlated quantum gases.

Findings

Mott transition occurs at incommensurate half filling with SU(3) symmetry breaking

Identification of exotic Mott insulating states with localized and itinerant atoms

Proposed experimental detection via double occupancy measurements

Abstract

We investigate the Mott transitions of three-component (colors) repulsive fermionic atoms in optical lattices using the dynamical mean field theory. We find that for SU(3) symmetry breaking interactions the Mott transition occurs at incommensurate half filling. As a result, a characteristic Mott insulating state appears, where paired atoms with two different colors and atoms with the third color are localized at different sites. We also find another Mott state where atoms with two different colors are localized at different sites and atoms with the third color remain itinerant. We demonstrate that these exotic Mott phases can be detected by experimental double occupancy observations.