Dynamical density matrix renormalization group study of photoexcited states in one-dimensional Mott insulators

One-dimensional Mott insulators exhibit giant nonlinear optical response. Based on the dynamical density matrix renormalization group method, photoexcited states and optical response in the insulators are studied as functions of the on-site and the nearest neighbor Coulomb interactions, U and V, respectively. We find that the lowest optically allowed and forbidden excited states across the Mott gap, which have odd and even parities, respectively, are degenerate for V/t≲2 with t being the hopping integral of an electron between nearest neighbor sites. For V/t≲2, the bound states with odd and even parities occur and are not degenerate. The nature of the degeneracy and its effect on the optical response are examined.