Emergent interaction-induced topology in Bose-Hubbard ladders

We investigate the quantum many-body dynamics of bosonic atoms hopping in a two-leg ladder with strong on-site contact interactions. We observe that when the atoms are prepared in a staggered pattern with pairs of atoms on every other rung, singlon defects, i.e.~rungs with only one atom, can localiz...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inarXiv.org
Main Authors Wellnitz, David, Domínguez-Castro, Gustavo A, Bilitewski, Thomas, Aidelsburger, Monika, Rey, Ana Maria, Santos, Luis
Format Paper
LanguageEnglish
Published Ithaca Cornell University Library, arXiv.org 08.09.2024
Subjects
Chains
Defects
Ladders
Topology
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Summary:We investigate the quantum many-body dynamics of bosonic atoms hopping in a two-leg ladder with strong on-site contact interactions. We observe that when the atoms are prepared in a staggered pattern with pairs of atoms on every other rung, singlon defects, i.e.~rungs with only one atom, can localize due to an emergent topological model, even though the underlying model in the absence of interactions admits only topologically trivial states. This emergent topological localization results from the formation of a zero-energy edge mode in an effective lattice formed by two adjacent chains with alternating strong and weak hoping links (Su-Schrieffer-Heeger chains) and opposite staggering which interface at the defect position. Our findings open the opportunity to dynamically generate non-trivial topological behaviors without the need for complex Hamiltonian engineering.
ISSN:2331-8422