Reexamination of the variational Bose-Hubbard model

Abstract

For strongly interacting bosons in optical lattices, the standard description using the Bose-Hubbard model becomes questionable. The role of excited bands becomes important. In such a situation, we compare results of simulations using the 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 a too small variational space, often leading to spurious effects. Possible expansion of the variational approach is discussed.