Synthetic-gauge-field-induced resonances and Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov states in a one-dimensional optical lattice

Coherent coupling generated by laser light between the hyperfine states of atoms, loaded in a one-dimensional (1D) optical lattice, gives rise to the ``synthetic dimension'' system which is equivalent to a Hofstadter model in a finite strip of square lattice. An SU(M) symmetric attractive interaction in conjunction with the synthetic gauge field present in this system gives rise to unusual effects. We study the two-body problem of the system using the T-matrix formalism. We show that the two-body ground states pick up a finite momentum and can transform into two-body resonancelike features in the scattering continuum with a large change in the phase shift. As a result, even for this 1D system, a critical amount of attraction is needed to form bound states. These phenomena have spectacular effects on the many-body physics of the system analyzed using the numerical density matrix renormalization group technique. We show that the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) states form in the system even for a ``balanced'' gas and the FFLO momentum of the pairs scales linearly with flux. Considering suitable measures, we investigate interesting properties of these states. We also discuss a possibility of realization of a generalized interesting topological model, called the Creutz ladder