Topological pumping in the one-dimensional Bose-Hubbard chain

By means of time-dependent density-matrix renormalization-group calculations, we study topological quantum pumping in a strongly interacting system. The system under consideration is described by the Hamiltonian of a one-dimensional extended Bose-Hubbard model in the presence of a correlated hopping which breaks lattice inversion symmetry. This model has been predicted to support topological pumping [ E. Berg, M. Levin and E. Altman Phys. Rev. Lett. 106 110405 (2011)]. The pumped charge is quantized and of a topological nature. We provide a detailed analysis of the finite-size scaling behavior of the pumped charge and its deviations from the quantized value. Furthermore, we also analyze the nonadiabatic corrections due to the finite frequency of the modulation. We consider two configurations: a closed ring where the time dependence of the parameter induces a circulating current and a finite open-ended chain where particles are dragged from one edge to the opposite edge, due to the pumping mechanism induced by the bulk.