Towards low temperature states in a Fermi Hubbard quantum simulator

Quantum gas microscopy provides a unique toolkit to investigate the rich quantum phases involving tunneling and interactions. In particular, using ultracold fermionic atoms in optical lattices it realizes the Fermi Hubbard model, which is a fundamental model in condensed matter physics exhibiting properties relevant to many intriguing strongly-correlated systems. However, reaching low temperatures in such systems is challenging to numerical simulation methods and quantum simulation platforms. We expand the capabilities of our quantum gas microscopes by implementing a dynamically tunable optical lattice, which can realize triangular, honeycomb and dimerized lattice geometries. This extends the types of Hubbard systems available to study at presently realized temperatures, including quantum magnetism in the Hubbard model with geometric frustration. Combined with a spatial light modulator, novel quantum phases in decorated lattice geometries can be investigated. Furthermore, the dynamical tunability allows adiabatic state preparation towards low temperature states in the Hubbard model.