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:1711.03118 · Frontiers of Physics

Efimov effect in Dirac semi-metals

Pengfei Zhang, Hui Zhai

Published Jun 6, 2018• 14 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

The Efimov effect is defined as a quantum state with discrete scaling symmetry and a universal scaling factor. It has attracted considerable interests from nuclear to atomic physics communities. In a Dirac semi-metal, when an electron interacts with a static impurity through a Coulombic interaction, the same kinetic scaling and the interaction energy results in the Efimov effect. However, even when the Fermi energy lies exactly at the Dirac point, the vacuum polarization of the electron-hole pair fluctuation can still screen the Coulombic interaction, which leads to deviations from the scaling symmetry and eventually breaks down of the Efimov effect. This energy distortion of the Efimov states due to vacuum polarization is a relativistic electron analogy of the Lamb shift for the hydrogen atom. Motivated by the recent experimental observations in two- and three-dimensional Dirac semi-metals, we herein investigate this many-body correction to the Efimov effect and the conditions that allow some of the Efimov-like quasi-bound states to be observed in these condensed matter experiments.

DOI
10.1007/s11467-018-0800-4

Related papers

Efimov effect for two particles on a semi-infinite line

Satoshi Ohya

The Efimov effect (in a broad sense) refers to the onset of a geometric sequence of many-body bound states as a consequence of the breakdown of continuous scale invariance to discrete scale invariance. While originally discovered in three-body problems in three dimensions, the Efimov effect has now been known to appear in a wide spectrum of many-body problems in various dimensions. Here, we introduce a simple, exactly solvable toy model of two identical bosons in one dimension that exhibits the Efimov effect. We consider the situation where the bosons reside on a semi-infinite line and interact with each other through a pairwise δ-function potential with a particular position-dependent coupling strength that makes the system scale invariant. We show that, for sufficiently attractive interaction, the bosons are bound together, and a new energy scale emerges. This energy scale breaks continuous scale invariance to discrete scale invariance and leads to the onset of a geometric sequence of two-body bound states. We also study the two-body scattering off the boundary and derive the exact reflection amplitude that exhibits discrete scale invariance.

arXiv:2201.10869•American Journal of Physics•Sep 22, 2022•2 citations

The Fate of the Efimov Effect in a Many-Body World

Nicolai Gayle Nygaard, Nikolaj Thomas Zinner

The stabilization of Cooper pairs of bound electrons in the background of a Fermi sea is the origin of superconductivity and the paradigmatic example of the striking influence of many-body physics on few-body properties. In the quantum-mechanical three-body problem the famous Efimov effect defines highly non-trivial scaling relations among a tower of universal states. Within the realm of ultracold atomic gases, both of these problems have been studied in great detail within the last decade. In light of the tremendous effect of a background Fermi sea on two-body properties, a natural question is how such a background modifies three-body physics. Here we demonstrate how the generic problem of three interacting particles changes when one of the particles is embedded in a background Fermi sea. Our results show that there is a new universal scaling behavior connected with the background density of fermionic particles. The novel method presented here is completely general and applies to arbitrary masses of the three particles. Furthermore, it can accommodate corrections to universality, more than one Fermi sea, and many-body corrections in a systematic manner.

•Oct 26, 2011•1 citation

Efimov three-body states on top of a Fermi sea

Nicolai Gayle Nygaard, Nikolaj Thomas Zinner

The stabilization of Cooper pairs of bound electrons in the background of a Fermi sea is the origin of superconductivity and the paradigmatic example of the striking influence of many-body physics on few-body properties. In the quantum-mechanical three-body problem the famous Efimov effect yields unexpected scaling relations among a tower of universal states. These seemingly unrelated problems can now be studied in the same setup thanks to the success of ultracold atomic gas experiments. In light of the tremendous effect of a background Fermi sea on two-body properties, a natural question is whether a background can modify or even destroy the Efimov effect. Here we demonstrate how the generic problem of three interacting particles changes when one particle is embedded in a background Fermi sea, and show that Efimov scaling persists. It is found in a scaling that relates the three-body physics to the background density of fermionic particles.

arXiv:1110.5854•New Journal of Physics•Feb 21, 2014•25 citations

Geometric Scaling of Efimov States in a Li 6 − Cs 133 Mixture

Shih-Kuang Tung, Karina Jiménez-García, Jacob Johansen +2 more

In few-body physics, Efimov states are an infinite series of three-body bound states that obey universal discrete scaling symmetry when pairwise interactions are resonantly enhanced. Despite abundant reports of Efimov states in recent cold atom experiments, direct observation of the discrete scaling symmetry remains an elusive goal. Here we report the observation of three consecutive Efimov resonances in a heteronuclear Li-Cs mixture near a broad interspecies Feshbach resonance. The positions of the resonances closely follow a geometric series 1, λ, λ². The observed scaling constant λ(exp)=4.9(4) is in good agreement with the predicted value of 4.88.

arXiv:1402.5943•Physical Review Letters•Dec 9, 2014•178 citations

Efimov States in Nuclear and Particle Physics

H.‐W. Hammer, Lucas Platter

Particles with resonant short-range interactions have universal properties that do not depend on the details of their structure or their interactions at short distances. In the three-body system, these properties include the existence of a geometric spectrum of three-body Efimov states and a discrete scaling symmetry, which leads to log-periodic dependence of observables on the scattering length. Similar universal properties appear in the four-body system and possibly higher-body systems as well. For example, universal four-body states have recently been predicted and observed in experiments. These phenomena are often referred to as Efimov physics. We review their theoretical description and discuss applications in different areas of physics with a special emphasis on nuclear and particle physics.

arXiv:1001.1981•Annual Review of Nuclear and Particle Science•Oct 22, 2010•123 citations

Signature of the universal super Efimov effect: Three-body contact in two-dimensional Fermi gases

Pengfei Zhang, Zhenhua Yu

A class of universal ``three-body'' bound states has been recently predicted theoretically for identical fermions interacting at $p$-wave resonance in two dimensions. This phenomenon is called the super Efimov effect since the binding energies of the states follow a intriguing double exponential scaling. However, experimental resolution of this scaling is expected to meet formidable challenges. In this work, we introduce a thermodynamic quantity, the three-body contact ${C}_{\ensuremath{\theta}}$, to quantify three-body correlations in a two-dimensional gas composed of the resonantly interacting fermions; the contact ${C}_{\ensuremath{\theta}}$ is the consequence of the underlying universal super Efimov effect in the many-body context. We show how ${C}_{\ensuremath{\theta}}$ affects physical observables such as the radio-frequency spectrum, the momentum distribution, and the atom loss rate. The signature of the elusive super Efimov effect can be pinned down by the detection of the three-body contact ${C}_{\ensuremath{\theta}}$ via these observables in the many-body system.

arXiv:1611.09454•Physical Review A•Mar 9, 2017•19 citations
The Efimov effect is defined as a quantum state with discrete scaling symmetry and a universal scaling factor. It has attracted considerable interests from nuclear to atomic physics communities. In a Dirac semi-metal, when an electron interacts with a static impurity through a Coulombic interaction, the same kinetic scaling and the interaction energy results in the Efimov effect. However, even when the Fermi energy lies exactly at the Dirac point, the vacuum polarization of the electron-hole pair fluctuation can still screen the Coulombic interaction, which leads to deviations from the scaling symmetry and eventually breaks down of the Efimov effect. This energy distortion of the Efimov states due to vacuum polarization is a relativistic electron analogy of the Lamb shift for the hydrogen atom. Motivated by the recent experimental observations in two- and three-dimensional Dirac semi-metals, we herein investigate this many-body correction to the Efimov effect and the conditions that allow some of the Efimov-like quasi-bound states to be observed in these condensed matter experiments.
The Efimov effect (in a broad sense) refers to the onset of a geometric sequence of many-body bound states as a consequence of the breakdown of continuous scale invariance to discrete scale invariance. While originally discovered in three-body problems in three dimensions, the Efimov effect has now been known to appear in a wide spectrum of many-body problems in various dimensions. Here, we introduce a simple, exactly solvable toy model of two identical bosons in one dimension that exhibits the Efimov effect. We consider the situation where the bosons reside on a semi-infinite line and interact with each other through a pairwise δ-function potential with a particular position-dependent coupling strength that makes the system scale invariant. We show that, for sufficiently attractive interaction, the bosons are bound together, and a new energy scale emerges. This energy scale breaks continuous scale invariance to discrete scale invariance and leads to the onset of a geometric sequence of two-body bound states. We also study the two-body scattering off the boundary and derive the exact reflection amplitude that exhibits discrete scale invariance.
The stabilization of Cooper pairs of bound electrons in the background of a Fermi sea is the origin of superconductivity and the paradigmatic example of the striking influence of many-body physics on few-body properties. In the quantum-mechanical three-body problem the famous Efimov effect defines highly non-trivial scaling relations among a tower of universal states. Within the realm of ultracold atomic gases, both of these problems have been studied in great detail within the last decade. In light of the tremendous effect of a background Fermi sea on two-body properties, a natural question is how such a background modifies three-body physics. Here we demonstrate how the generic problem of three interacting particles changes when one of the particles is embedded in a background Fermi sea. Our results show that there is a new universal scaling behavior connected with the background density of fermionic particles. The novel method presented here is completely general and applies to arbitrary masses of the three particles. Furthermore, it can accommodate corrections to universality, more than one Fermi sea, and many-body corrections in a systematic manner.
The stabilization of Cooper pairs of bound electrons in the background of a Fermi sea is the origin of superconductivity and the paradigmatic example of the striking influence of many-body physics on few-body properties. In the quantum-mechanical three-body problem the famous Efimov effect yields unexpected scaling relations among a tower of universal states. These seemingly unrelated problems can now be studied in the same setup thanks to the success of ultracold atomic gas experiments. In light of the tremendous effect of a background Fermi sea on two-body properties, a natural question is whether a background can modify or even destroy the Efimov effect. Here we demonstrate how the generic problem of three interacting particles changes when one particle is embedded in a background Fermi sea, and show that Efimov scaling persists. It is found in a scaling that relates the three-body physics to the background density of fermionic particles.
In few-body physics, Efimov states are an infinite series of three-body bound states that obey universal discrete scaling symmetry when pairwise interactions are resonantly enhanced. Despite abundant reports of Efimov states in recent cold atom experiments, direct observation of the discrete scaling symmetry remains an elusive goal. Here we report the observation of three consecutive Efimov resonances in a heteronuclear Li-Cs mixture near a broad interspecies Feshbach resonance. The positions of the resonances closely follow a geometric series 1, λ, λ². The observed scaling constant λ(exp)=4.9(4) is in good agreement with the predicted value of 4.88.
Particles with resonant short-range interactions have universal properties that do not depend on the details of their structure or their interactions at short distances. In the three-body system, these properties include the existence of a geometric spectrum of three-body Efimov states and a discrete scaling symmetry, which leads to log-periodic dependence of observables on the scattering length. Similar universal properties appear in the four-body system and possibly higher-body systems as well. For example, universal four-body states have recently been predicted and observed in experiments. These phenomena are often referred to as Efimov physics. We review their theoretical description and discuss applications in different areas of physics with a special emphasis on nuclear and particle physics.
A class of universal ``three-body'' bound states has been recently predicted theoretically for identical fermions interacting at ppp-wave resonance in two dimensions. This phenomenon is called the super Efimov effect since the binding energies of the states follow a intriguing double exponential scaling. However, experimental resolution of this scaling is expected to meet formidable challenges. In this work, we introduce a thermodynamic quantity, the three-body contact ${C}_{\ensuremath{\theta}}$, to quantify three-body correlations in a two-dimensional gas composed of the resonantly interacting fermions; the contact ${C}_{\ensuremath{\theta}}$ is the consequence of the underlying universal super Efimov effect in the many-body context. We show how ${C}_{\ensuremath{\theta}}$ affects physical observables such as the radio-frequency spectrum, the momentum distribution, and the atom loss rate. The signature of the elusive super Efimov effect can be pinned down by the detection of the three-body contact ${C}_{\ensuremath{\theta}}$ via these observables in the many-body system.