Thermometry of fermionic atoms in an optical lattice

Low temperatures are necessary for the observation of strongly correlated quantum phases of fermionic atoms in optical lattices. We analyze how the temperature of a Fermi gas is altered when the fermions are loaded into an optical lattice with an underlying harmonic confining potential, and show how the temperature can be measured. The temperature of the atoms in the optical lattice determines the fraction of doubly occupied lattice sites of a two-component Fermi gas. We analytically calculate this quantity and find a strong temperature dependence. This fraction can be measured by studying the production of molecules in the lattice using a Feshbach resonance, which allows for precise thermometry of atoms in an optical lattice.