Structural Dynamics and Strong Correlations in Dynamical Quantum Optical Lattices

TL;DR

This paper investigates how ultracold bosonic atoms in optical cavities exhibit complex quantum phases and structural transitions driven by light-matter interactions, revealing mode softening at critical points relevant for experiments.

Contribution

It demonstrates the formation of quantum many-body phases and structural transitions in cavity-atom systems without higher bands, highlighting the role of light-matter backaction.

Findings

Identification of superradiant self-organization phases.

Observation of mode softening at quantum critical points.

Analysis of interplay between superfluid, Mott insulator, and light-induced phases.

Abstract

When placing an ultracold atomic gas inside a cavity, the light-matter coupling is enhanced and nonlinear atomic dynamics are generated, offering a promising platform for quantum simulation of models with short- and long-range interactions. Recently, superradiant self organized phases for ultracold atomic gases inside a cavity, pumped by a blue detuned optical lattice, have been observed. Here, we explore the formation of quantum many-body phases with strongly interacting bosonic atoms inside an optical cavity, subject to transverse blue detuned pumping. We analyze the interplay between superradiant self-organization with superfluid and Mott insulator phases, without the need of including higher lying bands, as the Wannier functions are dynamically linked to the cavity light via backaction. We observe different kinds of structural phase transitions driven by the light inside the cavity and the interplay with atomic collisions. We observe the mode softening at the critical points in the quantum phase transitions which can be measured in future experiments.