Spatial Kibble-Zurek mechanism through susceptibilities: the inhomogeneous quantum Ising model case

We study the quantum Ising model in the transverse inhomogeneous magnetic field. Such a system can be approached numerically through exact diagonalization and analytically through the renormalization group techniques. Basic insights into its physics, however, can be obtained by adopting the Kibble-Zurek theory of non-equilibrium phase transitions to description of spatially inhomogeneous systems at equilibrium. We employ all these approaches and focus on derivatives of longitudinal and transverse magnetizations, which have extrema near the critical point. We discuss how these extrema can be used for locating the critical point and for verification of the Kibble-Zurek scaling predictions in the spatial quench.Comment: 14 pages, small updates, published versio

Variational Bose-Hubbard model revisited

For strongly interacting bosons in optical lattices the standard description using Bose-Hubbard model becomes questionable. The role of excited bands becomes important. In such a situation we compare results of simulations using multiband Bose-Hubbard model with a recent proposition based on a time dependent variational approach. It is shown that the latter, in its original formulation, uses too small variational space leading often to spurious effects. Possible expansion of variational approach is discussed.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure

Critical points of the three-dimensional Bose-Hubbard model from on-site atom number fluctuations

We discuss how positions of critical points of the three-dimensional Bose-Hubbard model can be accurately obtained from variance of the on-site atom number operator, which can be experimentally measured. The idea that we explore is that the derivative of the variance, with respect to the parameter driving the transition, has a pronounced maximum close to critical points. We show that Quantum Monte Carlo studies of this maximum lead to precise determination of critical points for the superfluid-Mott insulator transition in systems with mean number of atoms per lattice site equal to one, two, and three. We also extract from such data the correlation-length critical exponent through the finite-size scaling analysis and discuss how the derivative of the variance can be reliably computed from numerical data for the variance. The same conclusions apply to the derivative of the nearest-neighbor correlation function, which can be obtained from routinely measured time-of-flight images.Comment: 15 pages, corrected typos, updated references, improvements in discussio

Locating the quantum critical point of the Bose-Hubbard model through singularities of simple observables

We show that the critical point of the two-dimensional Bose-Hubbard model can be easily found through studies of either on-site atom number fluctuations or the nearest-neighbor two-point correlation function (the expectation value of the tunnelling operator). Our strategy to locate the critical point is based on the observation that the derivatives of these observables with respect to the parameter that drives the superfluid-Mott insulator transition are singular at the critical point in the thermodynamic limit. Performing the quantum Monte Carlo simulations of the two-dimensional Bose-Hubbard model, we show that this technique leads to the accurate determination of the position of its critical point. Our results can be easily extended to the three-dimensional Bose-Hubbard model and different Hubbard-like models. They provide a simple experimentally-relevant way of locating critical points in various cold atomic lattice systems.Comment: 8 pages, rewritten title, abstract & introductio

Dynamics of heat and mass transport in a quantum insulator

The real time evolution of two pieces of quantum insulators, initially at different temperatures, is studied when they are glued together. Specifically, each subsystem is taken as a Bose-Hubbard model in a Mott insulator state. The process of temperature equilibration via heat transfer is simulated in real time using the Minimally Entangled Typical Thermal States algorithm. The analytic theory based on quasiparticles transport is also given.Comment: small clarifying changes, 3 references adde

Random Kronig-Penney-type potentials for ultracold atoms using dark states

A construction of a quasi-random potential for cold atoms using dark states emerging in $\Lambda$ {level configuration} is proposed. Speckle laser fields are used as a source of randomness. Anderson localisation in such potentials is studied and compared with the known results for the speckle potential itself. It is found out that the localisation length is greatly decreased due to the non-linear fashion in which dark-state potential is obtained. In effect, random dark state potentials resemble those occurring in random Kronig-Penney-type Hamiltonians.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figure

Random Kronig-Penney-type potentials for ultracold atoms using dark states

A construction of a quasirandom potential for cold atoms using dark states emerging in Λ level configuration is proposed. Speckle laser fields are used as a source of randomness. Anderson localisation in such potentials is studied and compared with the known results for the speckle potential itself. It is found out that the localization length is greatly decreased due to the nonlinear fashion in which dark-state potential is obtained. In effect, random dark-state potentials resemble those occurring in random Kronig-Penney-type Hamiltonians