Quantum crystal growing: Adiabatic preparation of a bosonic antiferromagnet in the presence of a parabolic inhomogeneity

TL;DR

This paper proposes a method to improve the adiabatic preparation of antiferromagnetic phases in a bosonic mixture within a one-dimensional optical lattice by introducing a tunable parabolic inhomogeneity, supported by numerical simulations.

Contribution

It demonstrates that a finite parabolic potential can facilitate adiabatic state preparation, with optimal strength depending on species imbalance and finite size effects.

Findings

Finite parabolic inhomogeneity aids adiabatic preparation.

Optimal inhomogeneity strength depends on species imbalance.

Finite size effects are significant in realistic systems.

Abstract

We theoretically study the adiabatic preparation of an antiferromagnetic phase in a mixed Mott insulator of two bosonic atom species in a one-dimensional optical lattice. In such a system one can engineer a tunable parabolic inhomogeneity by controlling the difference of the trapping potentials felt by the two species. Using numerical simulations we predict that a finite parabolic potential can assist the adiabatic preparation of the antiferromagnet. The optimal strength of the parabolic inhomogeneity depends sensitively on the number imbalance between the two species. We also find that during the preparation finite size effects will play a crucial role for a system of realistic size. The experiment that we propose can be realized, for example, using atomic mixtures of Rubidium 87 with Potassium 41 or Ytterbium 168 with Ytterbium 174.