Phase transitions in the one-dimensional ionic Hubbard model

Abstract: We study quantum phase transitions by measuring the bond energy, the number density, and the half-chain entanglement entropy in the one-dimensional ionic Hubbard model. By performing the infinite density matrix renormalization group with matrix product operator, we obtain ground states as the canonical form of matrix product states. Depending on the chemical potential and the staggered potential, the number density and the half-chain entanglement entropy shows clear signatures of the Mott transition. Our results confirm the success of the matrix product operator method for investigation of itinerant fermion systems.