Strong Interaction Limit Research Articles

Quantum Ising dynamics and Majorana-like edge modes in the Rabi lattice model

The atomic dipoles in the Rabi lattice model exhibit quantum Ising dynamics in the limit of strong atom-photon interaction. It governs the paraelectric to ferroelectric phase transition in the ground state. On an open chain, it implies the existence of two Majorana-like, albeit topologically unprotected, edge modes in the ordered phase. The relation ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{1L}^{x}={p}^{8}$ between the end-to-end dipole correlation ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{1L}^{x}$ and the spontaneous polarization $p$ is proposed as an observable signature of these edge modes. The density-matrix renormalization-group calculations on the one-dimensional Rabi lattice support the strong-coupling quantum Ising behavior and correctly yield the proposed end-to-end dipole correlation. The conditions that protect the edge modes against the adverse perturbations are also identified.

Effect of screening of the electron-phonon interaction on the temperature of Bose-Einstein condensation of intersite bipolarons

Here, we consider an interacting electron-phonon system within the framework of extended Holstein-Hubbard model at strong enough electron-phonon interaction limit in which (bi)polarons are the essential quasiparticles of the system. It is assumed that the electron-phonon interaction is screened and its potential has Yukawa-type analytical form. An effect of screening of the electron-phonon interaction on the temperature of Bose-Einstein condensation of the intersite bipolarons is studied for the first time. It is revealed that the temperature of Bose-Einstein condensation of intersite bipolarons is higher in the system with the more screened electron-phonon interaction.

Quantum phases of strongly interacting Rydberg atoms in triangular lattices

We present a theoretical study on the system of laser-driven strongly interacting Rydberg atoms trapped in a two-dimensional triangular lattice, in which the dipole-dipole interactions between Rydberg states result in exotic quantum phases. By using the mean-field theory, we investigate the steady state solutions and analyze their dynamical stabilities. We find that in the strong-interaction limit, the dynamics of the system is chaotic and exhibits random oscillations under appropriate laser detunings. Lyapunov exponent criterion is introduced to confirm the existence of this chaotic behavior. In addition, we present a full quantum calculation based on a six-atom model, and find that the system exhibits some bi-antiferromagnetic properties in every triangular cell when the one-photon detuning is exactly resonant or blue-shifted.

Coulomb-interacting billiards in circular cavities

We apply a molecular dynamics scheme to analyze classically chaotic properties of a two-dimensional circular billiard system containing two Coulomb-interacting electrons. As such, the system resembles a prototype model for a semiconductor quantum dot. The interaction strength is varied from the noninteracting limit with zero potential energy up to the strongly interacting regime where the relative kinetic energy approaches zero. At weak interactions the bouncing maps show jumps between quasi-regular orbits. In the strong-interaction limit we find an analytic expression for the bouncing map. Its validity in the general case is assessed by comparison with our numerical data. To obtain a more quantitative view on the dynamics as the interaction strength is varied, we compute and analyze the escape rates of the system. Apart from very weak or strong interactions, the escape rates show consistently exponential behavior, thus suggesting strongly chaotic dynamics and a phase space without significant sticky regions within the considered time scales.

Kohn-Sham density functional theory for quantum wires in arbitrary correlation regimes

We use the exact strong-interaction limit of the Hohenberg-Kohn energy density functional to construct an approximation for the exchange-correlation term of the Kohn-Sham approach. The resulting exchange-correlation potential is able to capture the features of the strongly correlated regime without breaking the spin or any other symmetry. In particular, it shows ``bumps'' (or barriers) that give rise to charge localization at low densities and that are a well-known key feature of the exact Kohn-Sham potential for strongly correlated systems. Here, we illustrate this approach for the study of both weakly and strongly correlated model quantum wires, comparing our results with those obtained with the configuration interaction method and with the usual Kohn-Sham local density approximation.

Kantorovich dual solution for strictly correlated electrons in atoms and molecules

The many-body Coulomb repulsive energy of strictly correlated electrons provides direct information of the exact Hohenberg-Kohn exchange-correlation functional in the strong interaction limit. Until now the treatment of strictly correlated electrons is based on the calculation of co-motion functions with the help of semi-analytic formulations. This procedure is system specific and has been limited to spherically symmetric atoms and strictly 1D systems. We develop a nested optimization method which solves the Kantorovich dual problem directly, and thus facilitates a general treatment of strictly correlated electrons for systems including atoms and small molecules.

Interaction- and filling-induced quantum anomalous Hall effect in ultracold neutral Bose-Fermi mixtures on a hexagonal lattice

We investigate the quantum anomalous Hall effect in a mixture of ultra-cold neutral bosons and fermions held on a hexagonal optical lattice. In the strong atom-atom interaction limit, composite fermions composed of one fermion with bosons or bosonic holes in the mixture are formed. Such composite fermions have already been generated successfully in experiment [Nat. Phys. {\bf 7}, 642 (2011)]. Here we predict that this kind of composite fermions may provide a realization of the quantum anomalous Hall effect by tuning the atom-atom interaction or the filling of the bosons in the mixture. We also discuss the corresponding experimental signatures of the quantum anomalous Hall effect in the Bose-Fermi mixture on hexagonal optical lattice.

Adsorption of single polymer molecules in shear flow near a planar wall

Adsorption of homopolymers from a dilute solution to a planar wall in the presence of shear flow is studied using a bead-spring dumbbell model. The bead-bead and bead-wall interactions are described by generalized Lennard-Jones potentials. A kinetic theory incorporating bead-wall hydrodynamic interaction is developed in order to obtain an analytical expression for the steady-state dumbbell concentration profile. The concentration profile exhibits an exclusion zone in the immediate vicinity of the wall, is followed by a peak, and finally approaches the bulk concentration far away from the wall. Using the analytical expression, the amount adsorbed and the equivalent film thickness are studied as a function of flow strength and the parameters characterizing the bead-wall interaction potential. Shear flow causes migration of the dumbbells due to bead-wall hydrodynamic interaction, which leads to desorption. On increasing the flow strength, the quantity adsorbed and the film thickness decrease until complete desorption occurs. The dependence of the flow strength required for desorption on the model parameters is also studied and a scaling law is derived for the strong-interaction limit. Brownian dynamics simulations are performed to verify the predictions from the kinetic theory. Although the theory makes a number of simplifying assumptions, it captures many of the key features seen in the simulations.

Strong Correlation in Kohn-Sham Density Functional Theory

We use the exact strong-interaction limit of the Hohenberg-Kohn energy density functional to approximate the exchange-correlation energy of the restricted Kohn-Sham scheme. Our approximation corresponds to a highly nonlocal density functional whose functional derivative can be easily constructed, thus transforming exactly, in a physically transparent way, an important part of the electron-electron interaction into an effective local one-body potential. We test our approach on quasi-one-dimensional systems, showing that it captures essential features of strong correlation that restricted Kohn-Sham calculations using the currently available approximations cannot describe.

Unusual magnetic phases in the strong interaction limit of two-dimensional topological band insulators in transition metal oxides

The expected phenomenology of non-interacting topological band insulators (TBI) is now largely theoretically understood. However, the fate of TBIs in the presence of interactions remains an active area of research with novel, interaction-driven topological states possible, as well as new exotic magnetic states. In this work we study the magnetic phases of an exchange Hamiltonian arising in the strong interaction limit of a Hubbard model on the honeycomb lattice whose non-interacting limit is a two-dimensional TBI recently proposed for the layered heavy transition metal oxide compound, (Li,Na)$_2$IrO$_3$. By a combination of analytical methods and exact diagonalization studies on finite size clusters, we map out the magnetic phase diagram of the model. We find that strong spin-orbit coupling can lead to a phase transition from an antiferromagnetic Ne\'el state to a spiral or stripy ordered state. We also discuss the conditions under which a quantum spin liquid may appear in our model, and we compare our results with the different but related Kitaev-Heisenberg-$J_2$-$J_3$ model which has recently been studied in a similar context.

Energy Densities in the Strong-Interaction Limit of Density Functional Theory

We discuss energy densities in the strong-interaction limit of density functional theory, deriving an exact expression within the definition (gauge) of the electrostatic potential of the exchange-correlation hole. Exact results for small atoms and small model quantum dots (Hooke's atoms) are compared with available approximations defined in the same gauge. The idea of a local interpolation along the adiabatic connection is discussed, comparing the energy densities of the Kohn-Sham, the physical, and the strong-interacting systems. We also use our results to analyze the local version of the Lieb-Oxford bound, widely used in the construction of approximate exchange-correlation functionals.

Quantum walk of two interacting bosons

We study the effect of interactions on the propagation of quantum correlations in the bosonic two-body quantum walk. The combined effect of interactions and Hanbury Brown--Twiss interference results in unique spatial correlations which depend on the strength of the interaction, but not on its sign. We experimentally measure the weak interaction limit of these effects using light propagating in a highly nonlinear photonic lattices. Finally, we propose an experimental approach to observe the strong interaction limit using few atoms in optical lattices.

Optimal-transport formulation of electronic density-functional theory

The most challenging scenario for Kohn-Sham density functional theory, that is when the electrons move relatively slowly trying to avoid each other as much as possible because of their repulsion (strong-interaction limit), is reformulated here as an optimal transport (or mass transportation theory) problem, a well established field of mathematics and economics. In practice, we show that solving the problem of finding the minimum possible internal repulsion energy for $N$ electrons in a given density $\rho(\rv)$ is equivalent to find the optimal way of transporting $N-1$ times the density $\rho$ into itself, with cost function given by the Coulomb repulsion. We use this link to put the strong-interaction limit of density functional theory on firm grounds and to discuss the potential practical aspects of this reformulation.

Three strongly correlated charged bosons in a one-dimensional harmonic trap: natural orbital occupancies

We study a one-dimensional system composed of three charged bosons confined in an external harmonic potential. More precisely, we investigate the ground-state correlation properties of the system, paying particular attention to the strong-interaction limit. We explain for the first time the nature of the degeneracies appearing in this limit in the spectrum of the reduced density matrix. An explicit representation of the asymptotic natural orbitals and their occupancies is given in terms of some integral equations.

Dynamics and evaporation of defects in Mott-insulating clusters of boson pairs

Repulsively bound pairs of particles in a lattice governed by the Bose-Hubbard model can form stable incompressible clusters of dimers corresponding to finite-size n=2 Mott insulators. Here we study the dynamics of hole defects in such clusters corresponding to unpaired particles which can resonantly tunnel out of the cluster into the lattice vacuum. Due to bosonic statistics, the unpaired particles have different effective mass inside and outside the cluster, and "evaporation" of hole defects from the cluster boundaries is possible only when their quasi-momenta are within a certain transmission range. We show that quasi-thermalization of hole defects occurs in the presence of catalyzing particle defects which thereby purify the Mott insulating clusters. We study the dynamics of one-dimensional system using analytical techniques and numerically exact t-DMRG simulations. We derive an effective strong-interaction model that enables simulations of the system dynamics for much longer times. We also discuss a more general case of two bosonic species which reduces to the fermionic Hubbard model in the strong interaction limit.

Metal-insulator transition in a two-band model for the perovskite nickelates

Motivated by recent Fermi-surface and transport measurements on LaNiO${}_{3}$, we study the Mott metal-insulator transitions of perovskite nickelates, with the chemical formula $R$NiO${}_{3}$, where $R$is a rare-earth ion. We introduce and study a minimal two-band model, which takes into account only the e${}_{g}$ bands. In the weak to intermediate correlation limit, a Hartree-Fock analysis predicts charge and spin order consistent with experiments on $R=\text{Pr}$, Nd, driven by Fermi surface nesting. It also produces an interesting semimetallic electronic state in the model when an ideal cubic structure is assumed. We also study the model in the strong-interaction limit and find that the charge and magnetic order observed in experiment exist only in the presence of very large Hund's coupling, suggesting that additional physics is required to explain the properties of the more insulating nickelates, $R=\text{Eu}$, Lu, Y. Next, we extend our analysis to slabs of finite thickness. In ultrathin slabs, quantum confinement effects substantially change the nesting properties and the magnetic ordering of the bulk, driving the material to exhibit highly anisotropic transport properties. However, pure confinement alone does not significantly enhance insulating behavior. Based on these results, we discuss the importance of various physical effects and propose some experiments.

Quantum particle-number fluctuations in a two-component Bose gas in a double-well potential

Two component Bose gas in a double well potential with repulsive interactions may undergo a phase separation transition if the inter-species interactions outweigh the intra-species ones. We analyze the transition in the strong interaction limit within the two-mode approximation. Numbers of particles in each potential well are equal and constant. However, at the transition point, the ground state of the system reveals huge fluctuations of numbers of particles belonging to the different gas components. That is, probability for observation of any mixture of particles in each potential well becomes uniform.

Spectral properties of attractive bosons in a ring lattice including a single-site potential

The ground-state properties of attractive bosons trapped in a ring lattice including a single attractive potential well with an adjustable depth are investigated. The energy spectrum is reconstructed both in the strong-interaction limit and in the superfluid regime within the Bogoliubov picture. The analytical results thus obtained are compared with those found numerically from the exact Hamiltonian, in order to identify the regions in the parameter space where this picture is effective. The single potential introduced is the simplest way to break the translational symmetry and to observe, through a completely analytical approach, how the absence of symmetry affects the properties of the low-excited eigenstates of the system. This model gives a first insight into the properties of systems including more complex potentials.

Conservation issue of pairwise quantum discord and entanglement of two coupled qubits in a two-mode vacuum cavity

The conservation issues of pairwise quantum discord and entanglement of two qubits coupled to a two-mode vacuum cavity are investigated by considering the dipole–dipole interaction between two qubits. It is found that the sum of the square of the pairwise quantum discords and the sum of the square of the pairwise concurrences are both conserved in the strong dipole-dipole interaction limit. However, in the middle dipole-dipole and weak dipole-dipole interaction limits, the sum of the square of the pairwise concurrences is still conserved while the sum of the square of the pairwise discords is not. The crucial reason for this is that the quantum discords are not equivalent if the measurements are performed on different subsystems in a general situation. So it is very important for quantum computation depending on the quantum discord to select the target performed by the measurements.

Gap solitons and Bloch waves of interacting bosons in one-dimensional optical lattices: From the weak- to the strong-interaction limits

We study the gap solitons and nonlinear Bloch waves of interacting bosons in one-dimensional optical lattices, taking into account the interaction from the weak to the strong limits. It is shown that composition relation between the gap solitons and nonlinear Bloch waves exists for the whole span of the interaction strength. The linear stability analysis indicates that the gap solitons are stable when their energies are near the bottom of the linear Bloch band gap. By increasing the interaction strength, the stable gap solitons can turn into unstable. It is argued that the stable gap solitons can easily be formed in a weakly interacting system with energies near the bottoms of the lower-level linear Bloch band gaps.