Non-uniform Fulde–Ferrell–Larkin–Ovchinnikov (FFLO) state

Hao Lee, Sergey I. Matveenko, Daw-Wei Wang +1 more

We study the phase diagram of fermionic polar molecules in a bilayer system, with an imbalance of molecular densities of the layers. For the imbalance exceeding a critical value, the system undergoes a transition from the uniform interlayer superfluid to the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) state with mostly a stripe structure, and at sufficiently large imbalance a transition from the FFLO to normal phase. Compared to the case of contact interactions, the FFLO regime is enhanced by the long-range character of the interlayer dipolar interaction, which can combine the $s$-wave and $p$-wave pairing in the order parameter.

Matthias Eschrig

Jeroen P. A. Devreese, Michiel Wouters, Jacques Tempere

The question whether a spin-imbalanced Fermi gas can accommodate the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) state has been the subject of intense study. This state, in which Cooper pairs obtain a nonzero momentum, has hitherto eluded experimental observation. Recently, we demonstrated that the FFLO state can be stabilized in a 3D Fermi gas, by adding a 1D periodic potential. Until now it was assumed that the FFLO wave vector always lies parallel to this periodic potential (FFLO-P). In this contribution we show that, surprisingly, the FFLO wave vector can also lie skewed with respect to the potential (FFLO-S). Starting from the partition sum, the saddle-point free energy of the system is derived within the path-integral formalism. Minimizing this free energy allows us to study the different competing ground states of the system. To qualitatively understand the underlying pairing mechanism, we visualize the Fermi surfaces of the spin-up and spin-down particles. From this visualization, we find that tilting the FFLO wave vector with respect to the direction of the periodic potential can result in a larger overlap between the pairing bands of both spin species. This skewed FFLO state can provide an additional experimental signature for observing FFLO superfluidity in a 3D Fermi gas.

Jibiao Wang, Qijin Chen

Xinle Shang, Pengming Zhang, Zuo Wei

Lei Zhang, Yinglong Ge, Xinle Shang +1 more

The Fulde–Ferrell–Larkin–Ovchinnikov (FFLO) state in asymmetric D-wave fermion superfluids is investigated generally. The angle dependence of the pairing gap (angle-dependent gap) for D-wave is also considered. Except the two special orientations of the Cooper pair momentum which are parallel/orthogonal to the symmetry-axis of ADG (called as FFLO-ADG-O and FFLO-ADG-P states), new orientations of the Cooper pair momentum between the two special ones are also found. These new orientations of the Cooper pair momentum correspond to new possible locally stable state (defined as FFLO-ADG-B state). Furthermore, the FFLO-ADG-O state is favored for small asymmetry and the FFLO-ADG-P state is located at large asymmetry, whereas the FFLO-ADG-B state is stable for moderate asymmetry. Moreover, the range of the asymmetry where the superfluids exists is enhanced strongly by taking the ADG to the FFLO state.