Toth, Tamas A.Laeuchli, Andreas M.Mila, FredericPenc, Karlo2011-12-162011-12-162011-12-16201010.1103/PhysRevLett.105.265301https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/74775WOS:000286755900003Combining a semiclassical analysis with exact diagonalizations, we show that the ground state of the SU(3) Heisenberg model on the square lattice develops three-sublattice long-range order. This surprising pattern for a bipartite lattice with only nearest-neighbor interactions is shown to be the consequence of a subtle quantum order-by-disorder mechanism. By contrast, thermal fluctuations favor two-sublattice configurations via entropic selection. These results are shown to extend to the cubic lattice, and experimental implications for the Mott-insulating states of three-flavor fermionic atoms in optical lattices are discussed.Large-N LimitMott InsulatorOptical LatticeSystemsPhasesAntiferromagnetAtomstext::journal::journal article::research article