Topological insulators in cold-atom gases with non- Abelian gauge fields: the role of interactions

POSTER

Abstract

With the recent technological advance of creating (non)- Abelian gauge fields for ultracold atoms in optical lattices, it becomes possible to study the interplay of topological phases and interactions in these systems. Specifically, we consider a spinful and time-reversal invariant version of the Hofstadter problem. In addition, we allow for a hopping term which does not preserve $S_z$ spin symmetry and a staggered sublattice potential. Without interactions, the parameters can be tuned such that the system is a topological insulator. Using a combination of analytical techniques and the powerful real-space dynamical mean-field (R-DMFT) method, we discuss the effect of interactions and determine the interacting phase diagram.

Authors

  • Peter P. Orth

    Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

  • Daniel Cocks

    Institut fuer Theoretische Physik, Goethe Universitaet, 60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany

  • Michael Buchhold

    Institut fuer Theoretische Physik, Goethe Universitaet, 60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany

  • Stephan Rachel

    Yale University, Department of Physics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA, Department of Physics, Yale University, 217 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA

  • Karyn Le Hur

    Yale University, Ecole Polytechnique, Yale University, 1 Center for Theoretical Physics, Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau Cedex, France, 2 Yale University, Yale University Physics Department, New Haven, CT, 06520 USA and Center for Theoretical Physics (CPHT), Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau 91128, France

  • Walter Hofstetter

    Institut fuer Theoretische Physik, Goethe Universitaet, 60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany, Goethe-University Frankfurt