Background: The variational Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (HFB) mean-field theory is the starting point of various (ab initio) many-body methods dedicated to superfluid systems. In this context, pairing correlations may be driven towards zero either on purpose via HFB calculations constrained on, e.g., the particle-number variance or simply because internucleon interactions cannot sustain pairing correlations in the first place in, e.g., closed-shell systems. While taking this limit constitutes a text-book problem when the system is of closed-shell character, it is typically, although wrongly, thought to be ill-defined whenever the naive filling of single-particle levels corresponds to an open-shell system.Purpose: The present work demonstrates that the zero-pairing limit of an HFB state is well-defined independently of the average particle number $\mathrm{A}$ it is constrained to. Still, the nature of the limit state is shown to depend on the regime, i.e., on whether the nucleus characterizes as a closed-shell or an open-shell system when taking the limit. Finally, the consequences of the zero-pairing limit on Bogoliubov many-body perturbation theory (BMBPT) calculations performed on top of the HFB reference state are illustrated.Methods: The zero-pairing limit of a HFB state constrained to carry an arbitrary (integer) number of particles $\mathrm{A}$ on average is worked out analytically and realized numerically using a two-nucleon interaction derived within the frame of chiral effective field theory.Results: The zero-pairing limit of the HFB state is mathematically well-defined, independently of the closed- or open-shell character of the system in the limit. Still, the nature of the limit state strongly depends on the underlying shell structure and on the associated naive filling reached in the zero-pairing limit for the particle number $\mathrm{A}$ of interest. First, the textbook situation is recovered for closed-shell systems, i.e., the limit state is reached for a finite value of the pairing strength (the well-known BardeenCooperSchrieffer (BCS) collapse) and takes the form of a single Slater determinant displaying (i) zero pairing energy, (ii) nondegenerate elementary excitations, and (iii) zero particle-number variance. Contrarily, a nonstandard situation is obtained for open-shell systems, i.e., the limit state is only reached for a zero value of the pairing interaction (no BCS collapse) and takes the form of a specific finite linear combination of Slater determinants displaying (a) a nonzero pairing energy, (b) degenerate elementary excitations, and (c) a nonzero particle-number variance for which an analytical formula is derived. This nonzero particle-number variance acts as a lower bound that depends in a specific way on the number of valence nucleons and on the degeneracy of the valence shell. All these findings are confirmed and illustrated numerically. Last but not least, BMBPT calculations of closed-shell (open-shell) nuclei are shown to be well-defined (ill-defined) in the zero-pairing limit.Conclusions: While HFB theory has been intensively scrutinized formally and numerically over the last decades, it still uncovers unknown and somewhat unexpected features. In the present paper, the zero-pairing limit of a HFB state carrying an arbitrary number of particles has been worked out and shown to lead to drastic differences and consequences depending on the closed-shell or open-shell nature of the system in that limit. From a general perspective, the present analysis demonstrates that HFB theory does not reduce to HF theory when the pairing field is driven to zero in the HFB Hamiltonian matrix.Background: The variational Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (HFB) mean-field theory is the starting point of various (ab initio) many-body methods dedicated to superfluid systems. In this context, pairing correlations may be driven towards zero either on purpose via HFB calculations constrained on, e.g., the particle-number variance or simply because internucleon interactions cannot sustain pairing correlations in the first place in, e.g., closed-shell systems. While taking this limit constitutes a text-book problem when the system is of closed-shell character, it is typically, although wrongly, thought to be ill-defined whenever the naive filling of single-particle levels corresponds to an open-shell system.Purpose: The present work demonstrates that the zero-pairing limit of an HFB state is well-defined independently of the average particle number $\mathrm{A}$ it is constrained to. Still, the nature of the limit state is shown to depend on the regime, i.e., on whether the nucleus characterizes as a closed-shell or an open-shell system when taking the limit. Finally, the consequences of the zero-pairing limit on Bogoliubov many-body perturbation theory (BMBPT) calculations performed on top of the HFB reference state are illustrated.Methods: The zero-pairing limit of a HFB state constrained to carry an arbitrary (integer) number of particles $\mathrm{A}$ on average is worked out analytically and realized numerically using a two-nucleon interaction derived within the frame of chiral effective field theory.Results: The zero-pairing limit of the HFB state is mathematically well-defined, independently of the closed- or open-shell character of the system in the limit. Still, the nature of the limit state strongly depends on the underlying shell structure and on the associated naive filling reached in the zero-pairing limit for the particle number $\mathrm{A}$ of interest. First, the textbook situation is recovered for closed-shell systems, i.e., the limit state is reached for a finite value of the pairing strength (the well-known BardeenCooperSchrieffer (BCS) collapse) and takes the form of a single Slater determinant displaying (i) zero pairing energy, (ii) nondegenerate elementary excitations, and (iii) zero particle-number variance. Contrarily, a nonstandard situation is obtained for open-shell systems, i.e., the limit state is only reached for a zero value of the pairing interaction (no BCS collapse) and takes the form of a specific finite linear combination of Slater determinants displaying (a) a nonzero pairing energy, (b) degenerate elementary excitations, and (c) a nonzero particle-number variance for which an analytical formula is derived. This nonzero particle-number variance acts as a lower bound that depends in a specific way on the number of valence nucleons and on the degeneracy of the valence shell. All these findings are confirmed and illustrated numerically. Last but not least, BMBPT calculations of closed-shell (open-shell) nuclei are shown to be well-defined (ill-defined) in the zero-pairing limit.Conclusions: While HFB theory has been intensively scrutinized formally and numerically over the last decades, it still uncovers unknown and somewhat unexpected features. In the present paper, the zero-pairing limit of a HFB state carrying an arbitrary number of particles has been worked out and shown to lead to drastic differences and consequences depending on the closed-shell or open-shell nature of the system in that limit. From a general perspective, the present analysis demonstrates that HFB theory does not reduce to HF theory when the pairing field is driven to zero in the HFB Hamiltonian matrix.

arXiv:2006.02871Physical Review CNov 13, 202021 citations

Generalized Hartree-Fock theory and the Hubbard model

Volker Bach, Élliott H. Lieb, Jan Philip Solovej

arXiv:cond-mat/9312044Journal of Statistical PhysicsJul 1, 1994222 citations

Generalization of the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov theory: one and two quasiparticle excitations

Paolo Tommasini, E. J. V. de Passos, M. O. C. Pires +1 more

We present a generalization of the Hartree-Fock Bogoliubov (HFB) theory in which the coupling between one and two quasi-particles is taken into account.This is done by writing the excitation operators as linear combinations of one and two HFB quasi-particles. The excitation energies and the quasi-particle amplitudes are given by generalized Bogoliubov equations. The excitation spectrum has two branches. The first one is a discrete branch which is gapless and has a phonon character at large wave-length and, contrarily to HFB, is always stable. This branch is detached from a continuum branch whose threshold, at fixed total momentum, coincides with the two quasi-particle threshold of the HFB theory. The gap between these two branches at P=0 is equal to two times the HFB gap, which then provides for the relevant energy scale. We also give numerical results for a specific case.We present a generalization of the Hartree-Fock Bogoliubov (HFB) theory in which the coupling between one and two quasi-particles is taken into account.This is done by writing the excitation operators as linear combinations of one and two HFB quasi-particles. The excitation energies and the quasi-particle amplitudes are given by generalized Bogoliubov equations. The excitation spectrum has two branches. The first one is a discrete branch which is gapless and has a phonon character at large wave-length and, contrarily to HFB, is always stable. This branch is detached from a continuum branch whose threshold, at fixed total momentum, coincides with the two quasi-particle threshold of the HFB theory. The gap between these two branches at P=0 is equal to two times the HFB gap, which then provides for the relevant energy scale. We also give numerical results for a specific case.

arXiv:cond-mat/0307745Jul 30, 20031 citation

Multi-configuration Hartree-Fock theory in nuclei

Amand Faessler, Angelo Plastino

Zeitschrift für Physik A Hadrons and NucleiFeb 1, 196938 citations

Density matrix approach to the Hartree-Fock problem

Stella M. Peltier, A. Piastino

The European Physical Journal AJun 1, 19814 citations

Extended Hartree–Fock–Bogoliubov theory for degenerate Bose systems

Paolo Tommasini, E. J. V. de Passos, M. O. C. Pires +1 more

An extension of the Hartree–Fock–Bogoliubov (HFB) theory of degenerate Bose systems in which the coupling between one and two quasi-particles is taken into account is developed. The excitation operators are written as linear combinations of one and two HFB quasi-particles. Excitation energies and quasi-particle amplitudes are given by generalized Bogoliubov equations. The excitation spectrum has two branches. The first one is a discrete branch which is gapless and has a phonon character at large wavelength and, contrarily to HFB, is always stable. This branch is detached from a second, continuum branch whose threshold, at fixed total momentum, coincides with the two quasi-particle threshold of the HFB theory. The gap between the two branches at P = 0 is twice the HFB gap, which thus provides for the relevant energy scale. Numerical results for a specific case are given.An extension of the Hartree–Fock–Bogoliubov (HFB) theory of degenerate Bose systems in which the coupling between one and two quasi-particles is taken into account is developed. The excitation operators are written as linear combinations of one and two HFB quasi-particles. Excitation energies and quasi-particle amplitudes are given by generalized Bogoliubov equations. The excitation spectrum has two branches. The first one is a discrete branch which is gapless and has a phonon character at large wavelength and, contrarily to HFB, is always stable. This branch is detached from a second, continuum branch whose threshold, at fixed total momentum, coincides with the two quasi-particle threshold of the HFB theory. The gap between the two branches at P = 0 is twice the HFB gap, which thus provides for the relevant energy scale. Numerical results for a specific case are given.

Journal of Physics Condensed MatterMay 13, 20057 citations

\mathrm{A}

it is constrained to. Still, the nature of the limit state is shown to depend on the regime, i.e., on whether the nucleus characterizes as a closed-shell or an open-shell system when taking the limit. Finally, the consequences of the zero-pairing limit on Bogoliubov many-body perturbation theory (BMBPT) calculations performed on top of the HFB reference state are illustrated.Methods: The zero-pairing limit of a HFB state constrained to carry an arbitrary (integer) number of particles

\mathrm{A}

on average is worked out analytically and realized numerically using a two-nucleon interaction derived within the frame of chiral effective field theory.Results: The zero-pairing limit of the HFB state is mathematically well-defined, independently of the closed- or open-shell character of the system in the limit. Still, the nature of the limit state strongly depends on the underlying shell structure and on the associated naive filling reached in the zero-pairing limit for the particle number

\mathrm{A}

of interest. First, the textbook situation is recovered for closed-shell systems, i.e., the limit state is reached for a finite value of the pairing strength (the well-known BardeenCooperSchrieffer (BCS) collapse) and takes the form of a single Slater determinant displaying (i) zero pairing energy, (ii) nondegenerate elementary excitations, and (iii) zero particle-number variance. Contrarily, a nonstandard situation is obtained for open-shell systems, i.e., the limit state is only reached for a zero value of the pairing interaction (no BCS collapse) and takes the form of a specific finite linear combination of Slater determinants displaying (a) a nonzero pairing energy, (b) degenerate elementary excitations, and (c) a nonzero particle-number variance for which an analytical formula is derived. This nonzero particle-number variance acts as a lower bound that depends in a specific way on the number of valence nucleons and on the degeneracy of the valence shell. All these findings are confirmed and illustrated numerically. Last but not least, BMBPT calculations of closed-shell (open-shell) nuclei are shown to be well-defined (ill-defined) in the zero-pairing limit.Conclusions: While HFB theory has been intensively scrutinized formally and numerically over the last decades, it still uncovers unknown and somewhat unexpected features. In the present paper, the zero-pairing limit of a HFB state carrying an arbitrary number of particles has been worked out and shown to lead to drastic differences and consequences depending on the closed-shell or open-shell nature of the system in that limit. From a general perspective, the present analysis demonstrates that HFB theory does not reduce to HF theory when the pairing field is driven to zero in the HFB Hamiltonian matrix.