Nonlinear Hall response in the driving dynamics of ultracold atoms in optical lattices

Abstract

We propose that a nonlinear Hall response can be observed in Bloch oscillations of ultracold atoms in optical lattices under the condition of preserved time-reversal symmetry. In the short-time limit of Bloch oscillations driven by a direct current (dc) field, the nonlinear Hall current dominates, being a second-order response to the external field strength. The associated Berry curvature dipole, which is a second-order nonlinear coefficient of the driving field, can be obtained from the oscillation of atoms. In an alternating current (ac) driving field, the nonlinear Hall response has a double frequency of the driving force in the case of time-reversal symmetry.