Establishing conservation laws in pair-correlated many-body theories:T-matrix approaches

Abstract

We address conservation laws associated with current, momentum and energy and show how they can be satisfied within many body theories which focus on pair correlations. Of interest are two well known t-matrix theories which represent many body theories which incorporate pairing in the normal state. The first of these is associated with Nozieres Schmitt-Rink theory, while the second involves the t-matrix of a BCS-Leggett like state as identified by Kadanoff and Martin. T-matrix theories begin with an ansatz for the single particle self energy and are to be distinguished from $\Phi$-derivable theories which introduce an ansatz for a particular contribution to the thermodynamical potential. Conservation laws are equivalent to Ward identities which we address in some detail here. Although $\Phi$-derivable theories are often referred to as "conserving theories", a consequence of this work is the demonstration that these two t-matrix approaches similarly can be made to obey all conservation laws. Moreover, simplifying approximations in $\Phi$-derivable theories, frequently lead to results which are incompatible with conservation.