Temperature-Dependent Contact of Weakly Interacting Single-Component Fermi Gases and Loss Rate of Degenerate Polar Molecules.

Motivated by the experimental realization of single-component degenerate Fermi gases of polar ground state KRb molecules with intrinsic two-body losses [L. De Marco et al., A degenerate Fermi gas of polar molecules, Science 363, 853 (2019).SCIEAS0036-807510.1126/science.aau7230], this work studies the finite-temperature loss rate of single-component Fermi gases with weak interactions. First, we establish a relationship between the two-body loss rate and the p-wave contact. Second, we evaluate the contact of the homogeneous system in the low-temperature regime using p-wave Fermi liquid theory and in the high-temperature regime using the second-order virial expansion. Third, conjecturing that there are no phase transitions between the two temperature regimes, we smoothly interpolate the results to intermediate temperatures. It is found that the contact is constant at temperatures close to zero and increases first quadratically with increasing temperature and finally-in agreement with the Bethe-Wigner threshold law-linearly at high temperatures. Fourth, applying the local-density approximation, we obtain the loss-rate coefficient for the harmonically trapped system, reproducing the experimental KRb loss measurements within a unified theoretical framework over a wide temperature regime without fitting parameters. Our results for the contact are not only applicable to molecular p-wave gases but also to atomic single-component Fermi gases, such as ^{40}K and ^{6}Li.

Nonexponential Tunneling due to Mean-Field-Induced Swallowtails.

Typically, energy levels change without bifurcating in response to a change of a control parameter. Bifurcations can lead to loops or swallowtails in the energy spectrum. The simplest quantum Hamiltonian that supports swallowtails is a nonlinear 2×2 Hamiltonian with nonzero off-diagonal elements and diagonal elements that depend on the population difference of the two states. This work implements such a Hamiltonian experimentally using ultracold atoms in a moving one-dimensional optical lattice. Self-trapping and nonexponential tunneling probabilities, a hallmark signature of band structures that support swallowtails, are observed. The good agreement between theory and experiment validates the optical lattice system as a powerful platform to study, e.g., Josephson junction physics and superfluidity in ring-shaped geometries.

Density Oscillations Induced by Individual Ultracold Two-Body Collisions.

Access to single-particle momenta provides new means of studying the dynamics of a few interacting particles. In a joint theoretical and experimental effort, we observe and analyze the effects of a finite number of ultracold two-body collisions on the relative and single-particle densities by quenching two ultracold atoms with an initial narrow wave packet into a wide trap with an inverted aspect ratio. The experimentally observed spatial oscillations of the relative density are reproduced by a parameter-free zero-range theory and interpreted in terms of cross-dimensional flux. We theoretically study the long-time dynamics and find that the system does not approach its thermodynamic limit. The setup can be viewed as an advanced particle collider that allows one to watch the collision process itself.

Path-Integral Monte Carlo Determination of the Fourth-Order Virial Coefficient for a Unitary Two-Component Fermi Gas with Zero-Range Interactions.

The unitary equal-mass Fermi gas with zero-range interactions constitutes a paradigmatic model system that is relevant to atomic, condensed matter, nuclear, particle, and astrophysics. This work determines the fourth-order virial coefficient b_{4} of such a strongly interacting Fermi gas using a customized ab initio path-integral Monte Carlo (PIMC) algorithm. In contrast to earlier theoretical results, which disagreed on the sign and magnitude of b_{4}, our b_{4} agrees within error bars with the experimentally determined value, thereby resolving an ongoing literature debate. Utilizing a trap regulator, our PIMC approach determines the fourth-order virial coefficient by directly sampling the partition function. An on-the-fly antisymmetrization avoids the Thomas collapse and, combined with the use of the exact two-body zero-range propagator, establishes an efficient general means to treat small Fermi systems with zero-range interactions.

Abnormal superfluid fraction of harmonically trapped few-fermion systems.

Superfluidity is a fascinating phenomenon that, at the macroscopic scale, leads to dissipationless flow and the emergence of vortices. While these macroscopic manifestations of superfluidity are well described by theories that have their origin in Landau's two-fluid model, our microscopic understanding of superfluidity is far from complete. Using analytical and numerical ab initio approaches, this Letter determines the superfluid fraction and local superfluid density of small harmonically trapped two-component Fermi gases as a function of the interaction strength and temperature. At low temperature, we find that the superfluid fraction is, in certain regions of the parameter space, negative. This counterintuitive finding is traced back to the symmetry of the system's ground state wave function, which gives rise to a diverging quantum moment of inertia I(q). Analogous abnormal behavior of I(q) has been observed in even-odd nuclei at low temperature. Our predictions can be tested in modern cold atom experiments.

Generalized Efimov scenario for heavy-light mixtures.

Motivated by recent experimental investigations of Cs-Cs-Li Efimov resonances, this work theoretically investigates the few-body properties of N-1 noninteracting identical heavy bosons, which interact with a light impurity through a large s-wave scattering length. For Cs-Cs-Cs-Li, we predict the existence of universal four-body states with energies E4(n,1) and E4(n,2), which are universally linked to the energy E3(n) of the nth Efimov trimer. For infinitely large (133)Cs-(6)Li and vanishing (133)Cs-(133)Cs scattering lengths, we find (E4(1,1)/E3(1))(1/2)≈1.51 and (E4(1,2)/E3(1))(1/2)≈1.01. The (133)Cs-(6)Li scattering lengths at which these states merge with the four-atom threshold, the dependence of these energy ratios on the mass ratio between the heavy and light atoms, and selected aspects of the generalized Efimov scenario for N>4 are also discussed. Possible implications of our results for ongoing cold atom experiments are presented.

Driven generalized quantum Rayleigh-van der Pol oscillators: Phase localization and spectral response.

Driven classical self-sustained oscillators have been studied extensively in the context of synchronization. Using the master equation, this work considers the classically driven generalized quantum Rayleigh-van der Pol oscillator, which is characterized by linear dissipative gain and loss terms as well as three nonlinear dissipative terms. Since two of the nonlinear terms break the rotational phase space symmetry, the Wigner distribution of the quantum mechanical limit cycle state of the undriven system is, in general, not rotationally symmetric. The impact of the symmetry-breaking dissipators on the long-time dynamics of the driven system are analyzed as functions of the drive strength and detuning, covering the deep quantum to near-classical regimes. Phase localization and frequency entrainment, which are required for synchronization, are discussed in detail. We identify a large parameter space where the oscillators exhibit appreciable phase localization but only weak or no entrainment, indicating the absence of synchronization. Several observables are found to exhibit the analog of the celebrated classical Arnold tongue; in some cases, the Arnold tongue is found to be asymmetric with respect to vanishing detuning between the external drive and the natural oscillator frequency.

Correlations of the upper branch of 1D harmonically trapped two-component fermi gases.

We present highly accurate energy spectra and eigenfunctions of small 1D harmonically trapped two-component Fermi gases with interspecies δ-function interactions, and analyze the correlations of the so-called upper branch (i.e., the branch that describes a repulsive Fermi gas consisting of atoms but no molecules) for positive and negative coupling constants. Changes of the two-body correlations as a function of the interspecies coupling strength reflect the competition of the interspecies interaction and the effective repulsion due to the Pauli exclusion principle, and are interpreted as a few-body analog of a transition from a nonmagnetic to a magnetic phase. Moreover, we show that the eigenstate ψadia of the infinitely strongly interacting system with |n1+n2|>2 and |n1-n2|

Few-body physics with ultracold atomic and molecular systems in traps.

Few-body physics has played a prominent role in atomic, molecular and nuclear physics since the early days of quantum mechanics. It is now possible-thanks to tremendous progress in cooling, trapping and manipulating ultracold samples-to experimentally study few-body phenomena in trapped atomic and molecular systems with unprecedented control. This review summarizes recent studies of few-body phenomena in trapped atomic and molecular gases, with an emphasis on small trapped systems. We start by introducing the free-space scattering properties and then investigate what happens when two particles, bosons or fermions, are placed in an external confinement. Next, various three-body systems are treated analytically in limiting cases. Our current understanding of larger two-component Fermi systems and Bose systems is reviewed, and connections with the corresponding bulk systems are established. Lastly, future prospects and challenges are discussed. Throughout this review, commonalities with other systems such as nuclei or quantum dots are highlighted.

Universal four-body states in heavy-light mixtures with a positive scattering length.

The number of four-body states known to behave universally is small. This work adds a new class of four-body states to this relatively short list. We predict the existence of a universal four-body bound state for heavy-light mixtures consisting of three identical heavy fermions and a fourth distinguishable lighter particle with a mass ratio κ>/~9.5 and short-range interspecies interaction characterized by a positive s-wave scattering length. The structural properties of these universal states are discussed, and finite-range effects are analyzed. The bound states can be experimentally realized and probed by utilizing ultracold atom mixtures.

Degeneracies in trapped two-component Fermi gases.

We report on previously unobserved intersystem degeneracies in two-component equal-mass Fermi gases with interspecies zero-range interactions under isotropic harmonic confinement. Over the past 10 years, two-component Fermi gases consisting of n1 spin-up and n2 spin-down atoms with interspecies zero-range interactions have become a paradigm for modeling condensed matter systems, nuclear matter, and neutron matter. We show that the eigenenergies of the (n1 + 1, n2 - 1) system are degenerate with the eigenenergies of the (n1, n2) system for any s-wave scattering length a(s), including infinitely large, positive, and negative a(s). The existence of the intersystem degeneracies is demonstrated explicitly for few-body systems with n1 + n2 = 4, 5, and 6. The degeneracies and associated symmetries are explained within a group theoretical framework.

Breakdown of universality for unequal-mass Fermi gases with infinite scattering length.

We treat small trapped unequal-mass two-component Fermi gases at unitarity within a nonperturbative microscopic framework and investigate the system properties as functions of the mass ratio κ, and the numbers N1 and N2 of heavy and light fermions. While equal-mass Fermi gases with infinitely large interspecies s-wave scattering length a(s) are universal, we find that unequal-mass Fermi gases are, for sufficiently large κ and in the regime where Efimov physics is absent, not universal. In particular, the (N1,N2) = (2, 1) and (3, 1) systems exhibit three-body and four-body resonances at κ=12.314(2) and 10.4(2), respectively, as well as surprisingly large finite-range effects. These findings have profound implications for ongoing experimental efforts and quantum simulation proposals that utilize unequal-mass atomic Fermi gases.

Universal properties of a trapped two-component fermi gas at unitarity.

We treat the trapped two-component Fermi system, in which unlike fermions interact through a two-body short-range potential having no bound state but an infinite scattering length. By accurately solving the Schrödinger equation for up to N=6 fermions, we show that no many-body bound states exist other than those bound by the trapping potential, and we demonstrate unique universal properties of the system: Certain excitation frequencies are separated by 2variant Planck's over 2piomega, the wave functions agree with analytical predictions and a virial theorem is fulfilled. Further calculations up to N=30 determine the excitation gap, an experimentally accessible universal quantity, and it agrees with recent predictions based on a density functional approach.

Scattering length instability in dipolar Bose-Einstein condensates.

We predict a new kind of instability in a Bose-Einstein condensate composed of dipolar particles. Namely, a comparatively weak dipole moment can produce a large, negative two-body scattering length that can collapse the Bose-Einstein condensate. To verify this effect, we validate mean-field solutions to this problem using exact, diffusion Monte Carlo methods. We show that the diffusion Monte Carlo energies are reproduced accurately within a mean-field framework if the variation of the s-wave scattering length with the dipole strength is accounted for properly.

Superfluidity of mesoscopic Bose gases under varying confinements.

The superfluid fraction Ns/N of 27 bosons under varying confinement is investigated at finite temperature using well-known properties of the harmonic oscillator and the microscopic path integral Monte Carlo method. We find that Ns/N (i) is essentially independent of the interaction strength for all temperatures considered, (ii) changes profoundly as the effective dimensionality is varied from three to one dimensional, (iii) is approximately equal to the condensate fraction N0/N for spherical Bose gases, and (iv) deviates dramatically from N0/N for highly elongated Bose gases.