Emergent criticality and universality class of the finite-temperature charge-density-wave transition in lattice Bose gases within optical cavities

Abstract

We investigate the finite temperature charge density wave (CDW) transition of lattice Bose gases within optical cavities in the deep Mott-insulator limit. We find a new critical regime emerges at a temperature around one-half of the on-site interaction energy, where the first order CDW transition at low temperatures terminates at a critical point and changes to a second order one. By directly calculating the critical exponents and constructing the effective theory in the corresponding critical regime, we find the emergent criticality belongs to the five-dimensional Ising universality class. Direct experimental observation of the emergent criticality can be readily performed by current experimental set-ups operated in the temperature regime around half the on-site interaction energy.