Past Events

Abstract:

Ultracold atomic gases in optical lattices have been often been touted as a way to solve strongly interacting quantum many body problems, ever since the seminal paper of Greiner et al. (Nature, 2002) which showed a quantum phase transition between a Bose condensate and Mott insulator. While most experiments in the first years have addressed qualitative questions, focus is now shifting towards quantitatively accurate measurements. I will present the first quantitative validation of a bosonic optical lattice experiment with quantum Monte Carlo simulation for bosons, and will mention the experimental issues to be addressed to turn such optical lattice experiments into true self-contained analog quantum simulators for many-body problems. I will then present the state of the art in fermionic experiments, where Mott physics has been seen and the milestone of the realization of a Neel antiferromagnet seems to be achievable within a couple of years.

Coffee and tea will be served 20 minutes prior to the seminar.