Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:1405.2256 · Nature Communications

Critical behaviours of contact near phase transitions

Yang-Yang Chen, Yao-zong Jiang, Xin Guan, Qi Zhou

Published Oct 27, 2014• 29 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

A central quantity of importance for ultracold atoms is contact, which measures two-body correlations at short distances in dilute systems. It appears in universal relations among thermodynamic quantities, such as large momentum tails, energy and dynamic structure factors, through the renowned Tan relations. However, a conceptual question remains open as to whether or not contact can signify phase transitions that are insensitive to short-range physics. Here we show that, near a continuous classical or quantum phase transition, contact exhibits a variety of critical behaviours, including scaling laws and critical exponents that are uniquely determined by the universality class of the phase transition, and a constant contact per particle. We also use a prototypical exactly solvable model to demonstrate these critical behaviours in one-dimensional strongly interacting fermions. Our work establishes an intrinsic connection between the universality of dilute many-body systems and universal critical phenomena near a phase transition.

DOI
10.1038/ncomms6140

Related papers

Strong-coupling random-phase-approximation theory of a Bose gas near the superfluid–Mott-insulator transition: Universal thermodynamics and two-body contact

N. Dupuis, Moksh Bhateja, Adam Rançon

We present a strong-coupling expansion of the Bose-Hubbard model based on a mean-field treatment of the hopping term, while onsite fluctuations are taken into account exactly. This random phase approximation describes the universal features of the generic Mott-insulator--superfluid transition (induced by a density change) and the superfluid state near the phase transition. The critical quasiparticles at the quantum critical point have a quadratic dispersion with an effective mass ${m}^{*}$ and their mutual interaction is described by an effective $s$-wave scattering length ${a}^{*}$. The singular part of the pressure takes the same form as in a dilute Bose gas, provided we replace the boson mass $m$ and the scattering length in vacuum $a$ by ${m}^{*}$ and ${a}^{*}$, and the density $n$ by the excess density $|n\ensuremath{-}{n}_{\mathrm{MI}}|$ of particles (or holes) with respect to the Mott insulator. We define a universal two-body contact ${C}_{\mathrm{univ}}$ that controls the high-momentum tail $\ensuremath{\sim}1/{|\mathbf{k}|}^{4}$ of the singular part ${n}_{\mathbf{k}}^{\mathrm{sing}}$ of the momentum distribution. We also apply the strong-coupling RPA to a lattice model of hard-core bosons and find that the high-momentum distribution is controlled by a universal contact, in complete agreement with the Bose-Hubbard model. Finally, we discuss a continuum model of bosons in an optical lattice and define two additional two-body contacts: a short-distance universal contact ${C}_{\mathrm{univ}}^{\mathrm{sd}}$ which controls the high-momentum tail of ${n}_{\mathbf{k}}^{\mathrm{sing}}$ at scales larger than the inverse lattice spacing, and a full contact $C$, which controls the high-momentum tail of the full-momentum distribution ${n}_{\mathbf{k}}$.

arXiv:2501.14887•Physical Review A•Sep 11, 2025•2 citations

Concept of a Contact Spectrum and Its Applications in Atomic Quantum Hall States

Mingyuan He, Shaoliang Zhang, Hon Ming Chan +1 more

A unique feature of ultracold atoms is the separation of length scales, r_{0}≪k_{F}^{-1}, where k_{F} and r_{0} are the Fermi momentum characterizing the average particle distance and the range of interaction between atoms, respectively. For s-wave scattering, Shina Tan discovered that such diluteness leads to universal thermodynamic relations governed by contact. Here, we show that the concept of contact can be generalized to an arbitrary partial-wave scattering. Contact of all partial-wave scatterings forms a contact spectrum, which establishes universal thermodynamic relations with notable differences from those in the presence of s-wave scattering alone. Such a contact spectrum is particularly useful for characterizing many-body correlations in atomic quantum Hall states (QHSs). It has an interesting connection with a special bipartite entanglement spectrum of QHSs and enables an intrinsic probe of atomic QHSs using short-range two-body correlations.

arXiv:1506.01640•Physical Review Letters•Jan 26, 2016•63 citations

Critical phenomena in one dimension from a Bethe ansatz perspective

Xi‐Wen Guan

This article briefly reviews recent theoretical developments in quantum critical phenomena in one-dimensional (1D) integrable quantum gases of cold atoms. We present a discussion on quantum phase transitions, universal thermodynamics, scaling functions and correlations for a few prototypical exactly solved models, such as the Lieb–Liniger Bose gas, the spin-1 Bose gas with antiferromagnetic spin-spin interaction, the two-component interacting Fermi gas as well as spin-3/2 Fermi gases. We demonstrate that their corresponding Bethe ansatz solutions provide a precise way to understand quantum many-body physics, such as quantum criticality, Luttinger liquids (LLs), the Wilson ratio, Tan's Contact, etc. These theoretical developments give rise to a physical perspective using integrability for uncovering experimentally testable phenomena in systems of interacting bosonic and fermonic ultracold atoms confined to 1D.

arXiv:1408.4473•International Journal of Modern Physics B•Aug 4, 2014•16 citations

Observation of critical scaling in the Bose gas universality class

Leon Kleebank, Frank Vewinger, Arturo Camacho-Guardian +4 more

Critical exponents characterize the divergent scaling of thermodynamic quantities near phase transitions and allow for the classification of physical systems into universality classes. While quantum gases thermalizing by interparticle interactions fall into the XY model universality class, the ideal Bose gas has been predicted to form a distinct universality class whose signatures have not yet been revealed experimentally. Here, we report the observation of critical scaling in a two-dimensional trapped quantum gas of essentially noninteracting photons, which thermalize by radiative contact to a reservoir of molecules inside a microcavity. By measuring the spatial correlations near the condensation transition, we determine the critical exponent for the correlation length to be $ν= 0.52(4)$. Our results constitute a first experimental test of the long-standing scaling predictions for the Bose gas universality class.

cond-mat.quant-gasCross-listedarXiv:2511.14754•Science Advances•Nov 19, 2025•0 citations

Universal relations for ultracold reactive molecules

Mingyuan He, Chenwei Lv, Hai‐Qing Lin +1 more

The realization of ultracold polar molecules in laboratories has pushed physics and chemistry to new realms. In particular, these polar molecules offer scientists unprecedented opportunities to explore chemical reactions in the ultracold regime where quantum effects become profound. However, a key question about how two-body losses depend on quantum correlations in interacting many-body systems remains open so far. Here, we present a number of universal relations that directly connect two-body losses to other physical observables, including the momentum distribution and density correlation functions. These relations, which are valid for arbitrary microscopic parameters, such as the particle number, the temperature, and the interaction strength, unfold the critical role of contacts, a fundamental quantity of dilute quantum systems, in determining the reaction rate of quantum reactive molecules in a many-body environment. Our work opens the door to an unexplored area intertwining quantum chemistry; atomic, molecular, and optical physics; and condensed matter physics.

arXiv:2005.07861•Science Advances•Dec 18, 2020•31 citations

Comparative study of one-dimensional Bose and Fermi gases with contact interactions from the viewpoint of universal relations for correlation functions

Yuta Sekino, Shina Tan, Yusuke Nishida

One-dimensional spinless Bose and Fermi gases with contact interactions have the close interrelation via Girardeau's Bose-Fermi mapping, leading to the correspondences in their energy spectra and thermodynamics. However, correlation functions are in general not identical between these systems. We derive in both systems the exact universal relations for correlation functions, which hold for any energy eigenstate and any statistical ensemble of the eigenstates with or without a trapping potential. These relations include the large-momentum behaviors of static structure factors and of momentum distributions as well as energy relations, which connect the sums of kinetic and interaction energies to the momentum distributions. The relations involve two- and three-body contacts, which are the integrals of local pair and triad correlations, respectively. We clarify how the relations for bosons and fermions differ and are connected with each other. In particular, we find that the three-body contact makes no contribution to the bosonic energy relation, but it plays a crucial role in the fermionic one. In addition, we compute the exact momentum distribution for any number of fermions in the unitary limit.

arXiv:1710.01909•Physical Review A•Jan 17, 2018•26 citations
A central quantity of importance for ultracold atoms is contact, which measures two-body correlations at short distances in dilute systems. It appears in universal relations among thermodynamic quantities, such as large momentum tails, energy and dynamic structure factors, through the renowned Tan relations. However, a conceptual question remains open as to whether or not contact can signify phase transitions that are insensitive to short-range physics. Here we show that, near a continuous classical or quantum phase transition, contact exhibits a variety of critical behaviours, including scaling laws and critical exponents that are uniquely determined by the universality class of the phase transition, and a constant contact per particle. We also use a prototypical exactly solvable model to demonstrate these critical behaviours in one-dimensional strongly interacting fermions. Our work establishes an intrinsic connection between the universality of dilute many-body systems and universal critical phenomena near a phase transition.
We present a strong-coupling expansion of the Bose-Hubbard model based on a mean-field treatment of the hopping term, while onsite fluctuations are taken into account exactly. This random phase approximation describes the universal features of the generic Mott-insulator--superfluid transition (induced by a density change) and the superfluid state near the phase transition. The critical quasiparticles at the quantum critical point have a quadratic dispersion with an effective mass m∗{m}^{*}m∗ and their mutual interaction is described by an effective sss-wave scattering length a∗{a}^{*}a∗. The singular part of the pressure takes the same form as in a dilute Bose gas, provided we replace the boson mass mmm and the scattering length in vacuum aaa by m∗{m}^{*}m∗ and a∗{a}^{*}a∗, and the density nnn by the excess density $|n\ensuremath{-}{n}_{\mathrm{MI}}|$ of particles (or holes) with respect to the Mott insulator. We define a universal two-body contact Cuniv{C}_{\mathrm{univ}}Cuniv​ that controls the high-momentum tail $\ensuremath{\sim}1/{|\mathbf{k}|}^{4}$ of the singular part nksing{n}_{\mathbf{k}}^{\mathrm{sing}}nksing​ of the momentum distribution. We also apply the strong-coupling RPA to a lattice model of hard-core bosons and find that the high-momentum distribution is controlled by a universal contact, in complete agreement with the Bose-Hubbard model. Finally, we discuss a continuum model of bosons in an optical lattice and define two additional two-body contacts: a short-distance universal contact Cunivsd{C}_{\mathrm{univ}}^{\mathrm{sd}}Cunivsd​ which controls the high-momentum tail of nksing{n}_{\mathbf{k}}^{\mathrm{sing}}nksing​ at scales larger than the inverse lattice spacing, and a full contact CCC, which controls the high-momentum tail of the full-momentum distribution nk{n}_{\mathbf{k}}nk​.
A unique feature of ultracold atoms is the separation of length scales, r_{0}≪k_{F}^{-1}, where k_{F} and r_{0} are the Fermi momentum characterizing the average particle distance and the range of interaction between atoms, respectively. For s-wave scattering, Shina Tan discovered that such diluteness leads to universal thermodynamic relations governed by contact. Here, we show that the concept of contact can be generalized to an arbitrary partial-wave scattering. Contact of all partial-wave scatterings forms a contact spectrum, which establishes universal thermodynamic relations with notable differences from those in the presence of s-wave scattering alone. Such a contact spectrum is particularly useful for characterizing many-body correlations in atomic quantum Hall states (QHSs). It has an interesting connection with a special bipartite entanglement spectrum of QHSs and enables an intrinsic probe of atomic QHSs using short-range two-body correlations.
This article briefly reviews recent theoretical developments in quantum critical phenomena in one-dimensional (1D) integrable quantum gases of cold atoms. We present a discussion on quantum phase transitions, universal thermodynamics, scaling functions and correlations for a few prototypical exactly solved models, such as the Lieb–Liniger Bose gas, the spin-1 Bose gas with antiferromagnetic spin-spin interaction, the two-component interacting Fermi gas as well as spin-3/2 Fermi gases. We demonstrate that their corresponding Bethe ansatz solutions provide a precise way to understand quantum many-body physics, such as quantum criticality, Luttinger liquids (LLs), the Wilson ratio, Tan's Contact, etc. These theoretical developments give rise to a physical perspective using integrability for uncovering experimentally testable phenomena in systems of interacting bosonic and fermonic ultracold atoms confined to 1D.
Critical exponents characterize the divergent scaling of thermodynamic quantities near phase transitions and allow for the classification of physical systems into universality classes. While quantum gases thermalizing by interparticle interactions fall into the XY model universality class, the ideal Bose gas has been predicted to form a distinct universality class whose signatures have not yet been revealed experimentally. Here, we report the observation of critical scaling in a two-dimensional trapped quantum gas of essentially noninteracting photons, which thermalize by radiative contact to a reservoir of molecules inside a microcavity. By measuring the spatial correlations near the condensation transition, we determine the critical exponent for the correlation length to be ν=0.52(4)ν= 0.52(4)ν=0.52(4). Our results constitute a first experimental test of the long-standing scaling predictions for the Bose gas universality class.
The realization of ultracold polar molecules in laboratories has pushed physics and chemistry to new realms. In particular, these polar molecules offer scientists unprecedented opportunities to explore chemical reactions in the ultracold regime where quantum effects become profound. However, a key question about how two-body losses depend on quantum correlations in interacting many-body systems remains open so far. Here, we present a number of universal relations that directly connect two-body losses to other physical observables, including the momentum distribution and density correlation functions. These relations, which are valid for arbitrary microscopic parameters, such as the particle number, the temperature, and the interaction strength, unfold the critical role of contacts, a fundamental quantity of dilute quantum systems, in determining the reaction rate of quantum reactive molecules in a many-body environment. Our work opens the door to an unexplored area intertwining quantum chemistry; atomic, molecular, and optical physics; and condensed matter physics.
One-dimensional spinless Bose and Fermi gases with contact interactions have the close interrelation via Girardeau's Bose-Fermi mapping, leading to the correspondences in their energy spectra and thermodynamics. However, correlation functions are in general not identical between these systems. We derive in both systems the exact universal relations for correlation functions, which hold for any energy eigenstate and any statistical ensemble of the eigenstates with or without a trapping potential. These relations include the large-momentum behaviors of static structure factors and of momentum distributions as well as energy relations, which connect the sums of kinetic and interaction energies to the momentum distributions. The relations involve two- and three-body contacts, which are the integrals of local pair and triad correlations, respectively. We clarify how the relations for bosons and fermions differ and are connected with each other. In particular, we find that the three-body contact makes no contribution to the bosonic energy relation, but it plays a crucial role in the fermionic one. In addition, we compute the exact momentum distribution for any number of fermions in the unitary limit.