We systematically study the dynamics of a one-dimensional degenerate Fermi gas in an optical-lattice potential coupled to a single-mode cavity field. We derive an effective model to study the nonperturbative effect caused by the cavity field. Our numerical results show that due to the addition of the optical-lattice potential, the system undergoes second-order transition to a bistable density-wave steady state, where the atoms form a density wave and the cavity field is bistable. In addition, the coherent oscillating behavior of the cavity photon number can be observed. We also present a feasible experimental protocol to realize these phenomena, which may be beneficial for future quantum-information applications.

• Received 30 November 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.83.043606