arXiv · 1007.2189
Two-Stage Melting in Systems of Strongly Interacting Rydberg Atoms
Abstract
We analyze the ground state properties of a one-dimensional cold atomic system in a lattice, where Rydberg excitations are created by an external laser drive. In the classical limit, the ground state is characterized by a complete devil's staircase for the commensurate solid structures of Rydberg excitations. Using perturbation theory and a mapping onto an effective low energy Hamiltonian, we find a transition of these commensurate solids into a floating solid with algebraic correlations. For stronger quantum fluctuations the floating solid eventually melts within a second quantum phase transition and the ground state becomes paramagnetic.
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Hendrik Weimer, Hans Peter Büchler. 2011-02-04. Two-Stage Melting in Systems of Strongly Interacting Rydberg Atoms. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.105.230403
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