Magnetic Quantum Phases of Ultracold Dipolar Gases in an Optical Superlattice

TL;DR

This paper introduces a model of an effective Ising spin chain using ultracold dipolar gases in an optical superlattice, revealing quantum phase transitions and magnetic kink phenomena that can be experimentally realized.

Contribution

It proposes a novel realization of an effective Ising model with dipolar gases, demonstrating quantum phase transitions and magnetic kinks in a controllable ultracold atom setup.

Findings

Identification of a quantum phase transition from paramagnetic to kink phase.

Observation of magnetic kink as a quasi-particle in the chain.

Feasibility of experimental realization with current techniques.

Abstract

We propose an effective Ising spin chain constructed with dipolar quantum gases confined in a one-dimensional optical superlattice. Mapping the motional degrees of freedom of a single particle in the lattice onto a pseudo-spin results in effective transverse and longitudinal magnetic fields. This effective Ising spin chain exhibits a quantum phase transition from a paramagnetic to a single-kink phase as the dipolar interaction increases. Particularly in the single-kink phase,a magnetic kink arises in the effective spin chain and behaves as a quasi-particle in a pinning potential exerted by the longitudinal magnetic field. Being realizable with current experimental techniques, this effective Ising chain presents a unique platform for emulating the quantum phase transition as well as the magnetic kink effects in the Ising-spin chain and enriches the toolbox for quantum emulation of spin models by ultracold quantum gases.