Dynamical localization of interacting ultracold atoms in one-dimensional quasiperiodic potentials
Phys. Rev. A 113, 043316 – Published 20 April, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/yqz4-s22q
Abstract
Ultracold atoms loaded in a quasiperiodic optical lattice offer an ideal platform to study localization. Examples include the Anderson insulator, the Bose glass phase, and many-body localization. An intriguing prospect is to investigate the dynamical localization process in a quasiperiodic optical lattice. Precision control over lattice depth, interaction strength, and filling factor enables the exploration of various correlated and fragmented phases in a finite periodic lattice. We investigate the system's dynamics when the secondary incommensurate lattice is abruptly switched on. To obtain the full time evolution of the many-body Schrödinger equation, we employ the multiconfigurational time-dependent Hartree method for bosons. The many-body dynamics is analyzed through distinct measures of the Glauber correlation functions and dynamical fragmentation. Our study reveals four distinct scenarios of localization process in the nonequilibrium dynamics. Weakly interacting nonfragmented superfluid exhibits the collapse-revival dynamics of localization. In contrast, a fragmented superfluid exhibits dynamical Mott localization. A strongly correlated, fully fragmented Mott state shows a subtle competition with localization introduced by the secondary lattice that merely melts the Mott correlations. Interestingly, in the fermionized Mott regime, where the density in each well is fragmented, the intradimer correlations exhibit unexpected robustness. These findings provide insights into many-body correlation dynamics and localization mechanisms in quasiperiodic lattices, paving the way for engineering exotic quantum behaviors in ultracold atomic systems in a quasiperiodic lattice.
