Expansion dynamics of strongly correlated lattice bosons: A self-consistent density-matrix approach

We study the spatiotemporal dynamics of interacting bosons on a two-dimensional Hubbard lattice in the strongly interacting regime, taking into account the dynamics of condensate amplitude as well as the direct transport of noncondensed fluctuations. To that end we develop a self-consistent density-matrix approach which goes beyond the standard Gutzwiller mean-field theory. Starting from the Liouville-von-Neumann equation we derive a quantum master equation for the time evolution of the system's local density matrix at each lattice site, with a dynamical bath that represents the rest of the system. We apply this method to the expansion dynamics of an initially prepared cloud of interacting bosons in an optical lattice. We observe a ballistic expansion of the condensate, as expected, followed by slow, diffusive transport of the normal bosons. We discuss, in particular, the robustness of the Mott insulator phase as well as its melting due to incoherent transport. The method should be applicable to various models of lattice bosons in the strongly correlated regime.