Quantum particle in a parabolic lattice in the presence of a gauge field

Abstract

We analyze the eigenstates of a two-dimensional lattice with additional harmonic confinement in the presence of an artificial magnetic field. While the softness of the confinement makes a distinction between bulk and edge states difficult, the interplay of harmonic potential and lattice leads to a different classification of states in three energy regions: In the low-energy regime, where lattice effects are small, all states are transporting topologically non-trivial states. For large energies above a certain critical value, the periodic lattice causes localization of all states through a mechanism similar to Wannier-Stark localization. In the intermediate energy regime transporting, topologically non- trivial states coexist with topologically trivial counter-transporting chaotic states. The character of the eigenstates, in particular their transport properties are studied numerically and are explained using a semiclassical analysis.