Thomas–Fermi–von Weizsäcker theory for a harmonically trapped, two-dimensional, spin-polarized dipolar Fermi gas

Abstract

We systematically develop a density functional description for the equilibrium properties of a two-dimensional, harmonically trapped, spin-polarized dipolar Fermi gas based on the Thomas-Fermi von Weizs\"acker approximation. We pay particular attention to the construction of the two-dimensional kinetic energy functional, where corrections beyond the local density approximation must be motivated with care. We also present an intuitive derivation of the interaction energy functional associated with the dipolar interactions, and provide physical insight into why it can be represented as a local functional. Finally, a simple, and highly efficient self-consistent numerical procedure is developed to determine the equilibrium density of the system for a range of dipole interaction strengths.