Finite-curvature scaling in optical lattice systems

TL;DR

This paper investigates how adjusting the curvature of trapping fields in optical lattice systems can improve the simulation of strongly correlated electrons with ultracold fermions, providing a method to control the density of states.

Contribution

It introduces a semiclassical approach to tune the density of states by varying the curvature of trapping potentials in ultracold atom experiments.

Findings

Density of states can be smoothly controlled via field curvature.

Semiclassical arguments effectively predict the evolution of the density of states.

Implications for interacting atoms suggest potential for improved quantum simulations.

Abstract

We address the problem posed by the inhomogeneous trapping fields when using ultracold fermions to simulate strongly correlated electrons. As a starting point, we calculate the density of states for a single atom. Using semiclassical arguments, we show that this can be made to evolve smoothly towards the desired limit by varying the curvature of the field profile. Implications for mutually interacting atoms in such potentials are briefly discussed.