Extended fermionization of 1D bosons in optical lattices

We present a model that generalizes the Bose–Fermi mapping for strongly correlated one-dimensional (1D) bosons trapped in combined optical lattice plus parabolic potentials, to cases in which the average number of atoms per site is larger than one. Using a decomposition in arrays of disjoint strongly interacting gases, this model gives an accurate account of equilibrium properties of such systems, in parameter regimes relevant to current experiments. The application of this model to non-equilibrium phenomena is explored by a study of the dynamics of an atom cloud subject to a sudden displacement of the confining potential. Excellent agreement is found with results of recent experiments, without the use of any adjustable parameters. The simplicity and intuitive appeal of this model make it attractive as a general tool for understanding bosonic systems in the strongly correlated regime.