Cold atoms in U(3) gauge potentials

Abstract: We explore the effects of artificial $U(3)$ gauge potentials on ultracold atoms. We study background gauge fields with both non-constant and constant Wilson loops around plaquettes, obtaining the energy spectra in each case. The scenario of metal-insulator transition for irrational fluxes is also examined. Finally, we discuss the effect of such a gauge potential on the superfluid-insulator transition for bosonic ultracold atoms.