Spin-polarized Fermi Gas Research Articles

Radio-frequency spectroscopy and the dimensional crossover in interacting spin-polarized Fermi gases

Radio-frequency spectroscopy and the dimensional crossover in interacting spin-polarized Fermi gases

Fully polarized Fermi systems at finite temperature.

We propose a simple model of an interacting, fully spin-polarized Fermi gas in dimensions d=2 and d=3, and derive the approximate expression for the energy spectrum and the corresponding formula for the Helmholtz free energy. We analyze the thermodynamics of the system and find the lines of first-order phase transitions between the low- and high-density phases terminating at critical points. The properties of the corresponding phase diagrams are qualitatively different for d=2 and 3, and sensitively depend on the interparticle attraction, which marks a departure from the standard van der Waals theory. The differences originate from the Pauli exclusion principle and are embedded in the fermionic nature of the system under study.

Characterizing localization effects in an ultracold disordered Fermi gas by diffusion analysis

Disorder can fundamentally modify the transport properties of a system. A striking example is Anderson localization, suppressing transport due to destructive interference of propagation paths. In inhomogeneous many-body systems, not all particles are localized for finite-strength disorder, and the system can become partially diffusive. Unraveling the intricate signatures of localization from such observed diffusion is a longstanding problem. Here, we experimentally study a degenerate, spin-polarized Fermi gas in a disorder potential formed by an optical speckle pattern. We record the diffusion through the disordered potential upon release from an external confining potential. We compare different methods to analyze the resulting density distributions, including a new approach to capture particle dynamics by evaluating absorption-image statistics. Using standard observables, such as diffusion exponent and coefficient, localized fraction, or localization length, we find that some show signatures for a transition to localization above a critical disorder strength, while others show a smooth crossover to a modified diffusion regime. In laterally displaced disorder, we spatially resolve different transport regimes simultaneously, which allows us to extract the subdiffusion exponent expected for weak localization. Our work emphasizes that the transition toward localization can be investigated by closely analyzing the system's diffusion, offering ways of revealing localization effects beyond the signature of exponentially decaying density distribution. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Non-Hermitian p -wave superfluid and effects of the inelastic three-body loss in a one-dimensional spin-polarized Fermi gas

We theoretically investigate non-Hermitian p-wave Fermi superfluidity in one-dimensional spin-polarized Fermi gases which is relevant to recent ultracold atomic experiments. Considering an imaginary atom-dimer coupling responsible for the three-body recombination process in the Lindblad formalism, we discuss the stability of the superfluid state against the atomic loss effect. Within the two-channel non-Hermitian BCS-Eagles-Leggett theory, the atomic loss is characterized by the product of the imaginary atom-dimer coupling and the p-wave effective range. Our results indicate that for a given imaginary atom-dimer coupling, a smaller magnitude of the effective ranges of p-wave interaction is crucial for reaching the non-Hermitian p-wave Fermi superfluid state. Moreover, our theoretical framework for many-body systems with the three-body loss, which is inevitable in ultracold atoms, would promote further progress in non-Hermitian cold-atomic physics. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Ground state energy of the dilute spin-polarized Fermi gas: Upper bound via cluster expansion

We prove an upper bound on the ground state energy of the dilute spin-polarized Fermi gas capturing the leading correction to the kinetic energy resulting from repulsive interactions. One of the main ingredients in the proof is a rigorous implementation of the fermionic cluster expansion of Gaudin et al. (1971) [15].

Pressure of a dilute spin-polarized Fermi gas: Lower bound

Abstract We consider a dilute fully spin-polarized Fermi gas at positive temperature in dimensions $d\in \{1,2,3\}$ . We show that the pressure of the interacting gas is bounded from below by that of the free gas plus, to leading order, an explicit term of order $a^d\rho ^{2+2/d}$ , where a is the p-wave scattering length of the repulsive interaction and $\rho $ is the particle density. The results are valid for a wide range of repulsive interactions, including that of a hard core, and uniform in temperatures at most of the order of the Fermi temperature. A central ingredient in the proof is a rigorous implementation of the fermionic cluster expansion of Gaudin, Gillespie and Ripka (Nucl. Phys. A, 176.2 (1971), pp. 237–260).

Tailoring dynamical fermionization: Delta-kick cooling of a Tonks-Girardeau gas

In one spatial dimension, quantum exchange statistics and interactions are inextricably intertwined. As a manifestation, the expansion dynamics of a Tonks-Girardeau gas is characterized by dynamical fermionization (DF), whereby the momentum distribution approaches that of a spin-polarized Fermi gas. Using a phase-space analysis and the unitary evolution of the one-body reduced density matrix, we show that DF can be tailored and reversed, using a generalization of delta kick cooling (DKC) to interacting systems, establishing a simple protocol to rescale the initial momentum distribution. The protocol applies to both expansions and compressions and can be used for microscopy of quantum correlations.

Transport in p -wave-interacting Fermi gases

The scattering properties of spin-polarized Fermi gases are dominated by p-wave interactions. Besides their inherent angular dependence, these interactions differ from their s-wave counterparts as they also require the presence of a finite effective range in order to understand the low-energy properties of the system. In this article we examine how the shear viscosity and thermal conductivity of a three-dimensional spin-polarized Fermi gas in the normal phase depend on the effective range and the scattering volume in both the weakly and strongly interacting limits. We show that although the shear viscosity and thermal conductivity both explicitly depend on the effective range near resonance, the Prandtl number which parametrizes the ratio of momentum to thermal diffusivity does not have an explicit interaction dependence both at resonance and for weak interactions in the low-energy limit. In contrast to s-wave systems, p-wave scattering exhibits an additional resonance at weak attraction from a quasi-bound state at positive energies, which leads to a pronounced dip in the shear viscosity at specific temperatures.

Viscous flow in a one-dimensional spin-polarized Fermi gas: The role of integrability on viscosity

The transport properties of one-dimensional Fermi gases at low temperatures are often described by the Luttinger liquid (LL) model. However, to study dissipative effects, one needs to examine interactions beyond the LL model. In this work, we provide a simple model that allows for a direct microscopic calculation of the bulk viscosity, namely, the one-dimensional spin polarized $p$-wave Fermi gas. To leading order in the finite interaction strength, we find that the bulk viscosity is finite and consistent with the requirement of scale symmetry. We further show that the bulk viscosity satisfies the Bose-Fermi duality relating the weakly interacting limit of the spin polarized Fermi gas to the strongly interacting limit of the Lieb-Liniger model and vice versa. This work establishes the bulk viscosity to leading order in scale-breaking interactions in both the strongly and weakly interacting limits for both high and low temperatures.

Low-Field Feshbach Resonances and Three-Body Losses in a Fermionic Quantum Gas of 161Dy

We report on the high-resolution Feshbach spectroscopy on a degenerate, spin-polarized Fermi gas of 161Dy atoms, measuring three-body recombination losses at a low magnetic field. For field strengths up to 1 G, we identify as much as 44 resonance features and observe the plateaus of very low losses. For four selected typical resonances, we study the dependence of the threebody recombination rate coefficient on the magnetic resonance detuning and on the temperature. We observe a strong suppression of losses with decreasing temperature already for small detunings from the resonance. The characterization of complex behavior of the three-body losses of fermionic 161Dy is important for future applications of this peculiar species in research on atomic quantum gases.

Scattering hypervolume of fermions in two dimensions

We define the three-body scattering hypervolume ${D}_{F}$ for identical spin-polarized fermions in two dimensions by considering the wave function of three such fermions colliding at zero energy and zero orbital angular momentum. We derive the asymptotic expansions of such a wave function when three fermions are far apart or one pair and the third fermion are far apart, and ${D}_{F}$ appears in the coefficients of such expansions. For weak-interaction potentials, we derive an approximate formula of ${D}_{F}$ by using the Born expansion. We then study the shift of energy of three such fermions in a large periodic area due to ${D}_{F}$. This shift is proportional to ${D}_{F}$ times the square of the area of the triangle formed by the momenta of the fermions. We also calculate the shifts of energy and of pressure of spin-polarized two-dimensional Fermi gases due to a nonzero ${D}_{F}$ and the three-body recombination rate of spin-polarized ultracold atomic Fermi gases in two dimensions.

Exotic Superfluid Phases in Spin-Polarized Fermi Gases in Optical Lattices.

Leveraging cutting-edge numerical methodologies, we study the ground state of the two-dimensional spin-polarized Fermi gas in an optical lattice. We focus on systems at high density and small spin polarization, corresponding to the parameter regime believed to be most favorable to the formation of the elusive Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) superfluid phase. Our systematic study of large lattice sizes, hosting nearly 500 atoms, provides strong evidence of the stability of the FFLO state in this regime, as well as a high-accuracy characterization of its properties. Our results for the density correlation function reveal the existence of density order in the system, suggesting the possibility of an intricate coexistence of long-range orders in the ground state. The ground-state properties are seen to differ significantly from the standard mean-field description, providing a compelling avenue for future theoretical and experimental explorations of the interplay between spin imbalance, strong interactions, and superfluidity in an exotic phase of matter.

Dynamics of a trapped ion in a quantum gas: Effects of particle statistics

We study the quantum dynamics of an ion confined in a radiofrequency trap in interaction with either a Bose or spin-polarized Fermi gas. To this end, we derive quantum optical master equations in the limit of weak coupling and the Lamb-Dicke approximations. For the bosonic bath, we also include the so-called "Lamb-shift" correction to the ion trap due to the coupling to the quantum gas as well as the extended Fr\"ohlich interaction within the Bogolyubov approximation that have been not considered in previous studies. We calculate the ion kinetic energy for various atom-ion scattering lengths as well as gas temperatures by considering the intrinsic micromotion and we analyse the damping of the ion motion in the gas as a function of the gas temperature. We find that the ion's dynamics depends on the quantum statistics of the gas and that a fermionic bath enables to attain lower ionic energies.

Scattering hypervolume of spin-polarized fermions

We analyze the collision of three identical spin-polarized fermions at zero collision energy, assuming arbitrary finite-range potentials, and define the corresponding three-body scattering hypervolume ${D}_{F}$. The scattering hypervolume $D$ was first defined for identical bosons in 2008. It is the three-body analog of the two-body scattering length. We solve the three-body Schr\"odinger equation asymptotically when the three fermions are far apart or one pair and the third fermion are far apart, deriving two asymptotic expansions of the wave function. Unlike the case of bosons for which $D$ has the dimension of length to the fourth power, here the ${D}_{F}$ we define has the dimension of length to the eighth power. We then analyze the interaction energy of three such fermions with momenta $\ensuremath{\hbar}{\mathbf{k}}_{1}$, $\ensuremath{\hbar}{\mathbf{k}}_{2}$, and $\ensuremath{\hbar}{\mathbf{k}}_{3}$ in a large periodic cubic box. The energy shift due to ${D}_{F}$ is proportional to ${D}_{F}/{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Omega}}}^{2}$, where $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Omega}}$ is the volume of the box. We also calculate the shifts of energy and pressure of spin-polarized Fermi gases due to a nonzero ${D}_{F}$ and the three-body recombination rate of spin-polarized ultracold atomic Fermi gases at finite temperatures.

Strong Fulde-Ferrell Larkin-Ovchinnikov pairing fluctuations in polarized Fermi systems

We calculate the pair susceptibility of an attractive spin-polarized Fermi gas in the normal phase, as a function of the pair momentum. Close to unitarity, we find a strong enhancement of Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) pairing fluctuations over an extended region of the temperature-polarization phase diagram, which manifests itself as a pronounced peak in the pair-momentum distribution at a finite pair momentum. This peak should be amenable to experimental observation at achievable temperatures in a box-like trapping potential, as a fingerprint of FFLO pairing. Our calculations rest on a self-consistent t-matrix approach which, for the unitary balanced Fermi gas, has been validated against experimental data for several thermodynamic quantities.

Pairing and the spin susceptibility of the polarized unitary Fermi gas in the normal phase

We theoretically study the pairing behavior of the unitary Fermi gas in the normal phase. Our analysis is based on the static spin susceptibility, which characterizes the response to an external magnetic field. We obtain this quantity by means of the complex Langevin approach and compare our calculations to available literature data in the spin-balanced case. Furthermore, we present results for polarized systems, where we complement and expand our analysis at high temperature with high-order virial expansion results. The implications of our findings for the phase diagram of the spin-polarized unitary Fermi gas are discussed, in the context of the state of the art.

Collisional Loss of One-Dimensional Fermions Near a p-Wave Feshbach Resonance.

We study collisional loss of a quasi-one-dimensional spin-polarized Fermi gas near a p-wave Feshbach resonance in ultracold ^{6}Li atoms. We measure the location of the p-wave resonance in quasi-1D and observe a confinement-induced shift and broadening. We find that the three-body loss coefficient L_{3} as a function of the quasi-1D confinement has little dependence on confinement strength. We also analyze the atom loss with a two-step cascade three-body loss model in which weakly bound dimers are formed prior to their loss arising from atom-dimer collisions. Our data are consistent with this model. We also find a possible suppression in the rate of dimer relaxation with strong quasi-1D confinement. We discuss the implications of these measurements for observing p-wave pairing in quasi-1D.

Bound states in two-dimensional Fermi systems with quadratic band touching

The formation of bound states between mobile impurity particles and fermionic atoms has been demonstrated in spin-polarized Fermi gases with attractive interspecies interaction. We investigate bound states of mobile impurities immersed in a two-dimensional system with a symmetry-protected quadratic band touching. In addition to the standard $s$-wave interaction, we consider an anisotropic dipolar exchange interaction that locally breaks point group symmetries. Using a weak-coupling renormalization group approach and a ladder approximation for the impurity-fermion propagator, we establish that the number of bound states can be controlled by varying the anisotropy of the exchange interaction. Our results show that the degeneracy and momentum dependence of the binding energies reflect some distinctive properties of the quadratic band touching.

Effect of correlation on the properties of 2D spin-polarized dipolar Fermi gas

The spin-polarized 2D dipolar Fermi gas trapped in a harmonic potential provides an opportunity to study the many-fermion systems with strong particle–particle correlation in a controlled fashion. In this paper, we investigate the role of the correlation part of the interaction energy on the ground-state properties and on the collective oscillation frequencies of a 2D dipolar Fermi gas by employing density functional theory (DFT) within local density approximation. We employ a purely density-based, orbital-free approach of DFT to study the ground-state properties. We employ an orbital-free approach, as it is suitable for handling a large number of fermions (103–104 atoms/molecules), which are typically the number of atoms/molecules contained in the samples of dipolar Fermi gas created in the laboratories. We derive analytical expressions for the frequencies of the monopole and quadrupole modes of the collective oscillations by employing a method based on the sum-rule approach of linear response theory. We find that the exchange and correlation part of the fermion–fermion interaction contributes significantly to the total energy, and their contributions increase with increasing number of fermions and interaction strength. In particular, the correlation part lowers the total energy of the 2D dipolar fermionic system, thereby stabilizing the system. Similarly, the inclusion of the correlation effect lowers the frequencies of the monopole mode of the collective oscillations appreciably in comparison to the case when this effect is not taken into account. On the other hand, the frequency of the quadrupole mode of the collective oscillations is not appreciably altered by the correlation part of the interaction over a wide range of values of interaction strength and number of fermions.

Universal relations for a spin-polarized Fermi gas in two dimensions

We derive the full set of universal relations for spin-polarized Fermi gases with p -wave interaction in two dimensions, simply using the short-range asymptotic behavior of fermion-pair wave functions. For p -wave interactions, an additional contact related to the effective range needs to be introduced, besides the one related to the scattering volume. Since the subleading tail (k−4) of the large-momentum distribution cannot fully be captured by the contacts defined by the adiabatic relations, an extra term resulted from the center-of-mass motions of the pairs gives rise to an additional divergence in the kinetic energy of the system, besides those related to the contacts defined. We show in Tan’s energy theorem that if only two-body correlations are taken into account, all these divergences are reasonably removed, leading to a finite internal energy of the system. In addition, we find that all the other universal relations, such as the high-frequency behavior of the radio-frequency response, short-range behavior of the pair correlation function, generalized virial theorem, and pressure relation, remain unaffected by the center-of-mass motions of the pairs, and are fully governed by the contacts defined by the adiabatic relations. Our results confirm the feasibility of generalizing the contact theory for higher-partial-wave scatterings, and could readily be confirmed in current experiments with ultracold 40K and 6Li atoms.