Critical parameters from trap-size scaling in trapped particle systems

Understand

We investigate the critical behavior of trapped particle systems at the low-temperature superfluid transition.

• In particular, we consider the three-dimensional Bose-Hubbard model in the presence of a trapping harmonic potential coupled with the particle density, which is a realistic model of cold bosonic atoms in optical lattices.
• We present a numerical study based on quantum Monte Carlo simulations, analyzed in the framework of the trap-size scaling (TSS).
• We show how the critical parameters can be derived from the trap-size dependences of appropriate observables, matching them with TSS.