Phases of interacting bosons in a hybrid Harper-Hofstadter system with a synthetic dimension of harmonic trap states

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Reid, David G., Middleton-Spencer, Holly A. J., Salerno, Grazia, Goldman, Nathan, Price, Hannah M.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Reid, David G.
Middleton-Spencer, Holly A. J.
Salerno, Grazia
Goldman, Nathan
Price, Hannah M.
author_facet Reid, David G.
Middleton-Spencer, Holly A. J.
Salerno, Grazia
Goldman, Nathan
Price, Hannah M.
contents Synthetic dimensions are a powerful tool for engineering desired quantum systems, based on coupling together sets of states and reinterpreting these as lattice sites along an artificial dimension. Recently, a synthetic dimension of harmonic trap states has been successfully implemented in an ultracold atom experiment, opening the way for future realizations in this platform of topological lattice models, such as hybrid Harper-Hofstadter (HH) systems, which have one real and one synthetic dimension. However, unlike conventional systems, inter-particle interactions along a synthetic dimension of harmonic trap states are inhomogeneous, long-ranged and non-state-preserving. Therefore, this setup provides a natural platform for the exploration of the interplay between long range interactions (including correlated pair tunneling) and magnetic effects. In this paper, we set out to numerically study the effect of such interactions on both a hybrid two-legged HH ladder and a 2D HH model. In the former, we find variants of vortex and Meissner phases familiar from conventional models, while in the latter, we observe the emergence, in small finite systems, of unusual ground states, including a ``Meissner stripe" state, which combines counter-propagating Meissner-like currents with strong density variations. This opens up interesting questions, including about the nature of strongly-correlated states that would emerge in such a platform.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2602_21108
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Phases of interacting bosons in a hybrid Harper-Hofstadter system with a synthetic dimension of harmonic trap states
Reid, David G.
Middleton-Spencer, Holly A. J.
Salerno, Grazia
Goldman, Nathan
Price, Hannah M.
Quantum Gases
Synthetic dimensions are a powerful tool for engineering desired quantum systems, based on coupling together sets of states and reinterpreting these as lattice sites along an artificial dimension. Recently, a synthetic dimension of harmonic trap states has been successfully implemented in an ultracold atom experiment, opening the way for future realizations in this platform of topological lattice models, such as hybrid Harper-Hofstadter (HH) systems, which have one real and one synthetic dimension. However, unlike conventional systems, inter-particle interactions along a synthetic dimension of harmonic trap states are inhomogeneous, long-ranged and non-state-preserving. Therefore, this setup provides a natural platform for the exploration of the interplay between long range interactions (including correlated pair tunneling) and magnetic effects. In this paper, we set out to numerically study the effect of such interactions on both a hybrid two-legged HH ladder and a 2D HH model. In the former, we find variants of vortex and Meissner phases familiar from conventional models, while in the latter, we observe the emergence, in small finite systems, of unusual ground states, including a ``Meissner stripe" state, which combines counter-propagating Meissner-like currents with strong density variations. This opens up interesting questions, including about the nature of strongly-correlated states that would emerge in such a platform.
title Phases of interacting bosons in a hybrid Harper-Hofstadter system with a synthetic dimension of harmonic trap states
topic Quantum Gases
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.21108