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Boson and fermion dynamics in quasi-one-dimensional flat band lattices

The difference between boson and fermion dynamics in quasi-one-dimensional lattices is studied with exact simulations of particle motion and by calculating the persistent current in small quantum rings. We consider three different lattices which in the tight binding model exhibit flat bands. The physical realization is considered to be an optical lattice with bosonic or fermionic atoms. The atoms are assumed to interact with a repulsive short range interaction. The different statistics of bosons and fermions causes different dynamics. Spinless fermions are easily trapped in the flat band states due to the Pauli exclusion principle, which prevents them from interacting, while boson are able to push each other out from the flat band states.