Fast dynamics for atoms in optical lattices

TL;DR

This paper emphasizes the importance of a proper quantum mechanical approach using a multi-band extended Bose-Hubbard model with time-dependent Wannier functions to accurately describe the dynamics of atoms in optical lattices under rapid potential changes.

Contribution

It introduces a multi-band extended Bose-Hubbard model incorporating time-dependent Wannier functions to better capture the dynamics in optical lattice experiments.

Findings

Standard tight-binding models often neglect the effect of dynamics on basis transformations.

The proposed model provides a more accurate description of rapid lattice modifications.

Application to experimental scenarios demonstrates the model's relevance.

Abstract

Cold atoms in optical lattices allow for accurate studies of many body dynamics. Rapid time-dependent modifications of optical lattice potentials may result in significant excitations in atomic systems. The dynamics in such a case is frequently quite incompletely described by standard applications of tight-binding models (such as e.g. Bose-Hubbard model or its extensions) that typically neglect the effect of the dynamics on the transformation between the real space and the tight-binding basis. We illustrate the importance of a proper quantum mechanical description using a multi-band extended Bose-Hubbard model with time-dependent Wannier functions. We apply it to situations, directly related to experiments.