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:cond-mat/0201281 · Physical Review A

Universal equation for Efimov states

Eric Braaten, H.‐W. Hammer, Masaoki Kusunoki

Published Feb 28, 2003• 54 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Efimov states are a sequence of shallow three-body bound states that arise when the two-body scattering length is large. Efimov showed that the binding energies of these states can be calculated in terms of the scattering length and a three-body parameter by solving a transcendental equation involving a universal function of one variable. We calculate this universal function using effective field theory and use it to describe the three-body system of ${}^{4}\mathrm{He}$ atoms. We also extend Efimov's theory to include the effects of deep two-body bound states, which give widths to the Efimov states.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.67.022505

Related papers

Efimov physics and the three-body parameter within a two-channel framework

Peder K. Sørensen, D. V. Fedorov, A. S. Jensen +1 more

We calculate shallow three-body bound states in the universal regime, defined by Efimov, with inclusion of both scattering length and effective range parameters. We find corrections to the universal scaling laws for large binding energies. For narrow resonances we find a distinct nonmonotonic behavior of the threshold at which the lowest Efimov trimer merges with the three-body continuum. The origin of the three-body parameter is related to the two-body atom-atom interactions in a physically clear model. Our results demonstrate that experimental information from narrow Feshbach resonances and/or mixed systems are of vital importance to pin down the relation of two- and three-body physics in atomic systems.

arXiv:1206.2274•Physical Review A•Nov 26, 2012•57 citations

Exact renormalization relation and binding energies for three identical bosons

Langxuan Chen, Pengfei Zhang

In the low-energy limit, non-relativistic particles with short-range interactions exhibit universal behavior that is largely independent of microscopic details. This universality is typically described by effective field theory, in which the two-body interaction is renormalized to a single parameter-the scattering length. For systems of identical bosons, the three-body problem reveals the Efimov effect, a novel phenomenon proposed that necessitates the introduction of an additional three-body parameter. However, the exact relation between this three-body parameter, the coupling constants in the effective field theory, and the binding energies of Efimov states remains unresolved. In this Letter, we address this question through a comprehensive analysis of the Skorniakov-Ter-Martirosian equation with a finite cutoff. We establish an exact renormalization relation for the three-body parameter and determine its connection to the energies of Efimov bound states. These results are validated through high-precision numerical simulations. We expect our findings to be of fundamental interest across various fields, including atomic, nuclear, condensed matter, and particle physics, and to have broad applications in both few-body and many-body physics.

arXiv:2506.12531•Physical Review A•Aug 29, 2025•2 citations

Universality and the three-body parameter of 4 He trimers

Pascal Naidon, Emiko Hiyama, Masahito Ueda

We consider a system of three ${}^{4}$He atoms, which is so far the simplest realistic three-body system exhibiting the Efimov effect, in order to analyze deviations from the universal Efimov three-body spectrum. We first calculate the bound states using a realistic two-body potential, and then analyze how they can be reproduced by simple effective models beyond Efimov's universal theory. We find that the nonuniversal variations of the ground and first excited states can be well reproduced by models parametrized with only three quantities: the scattering length and effective range of the original potential, and a small three-body force. Furthermore, the three-body parameter, which fixes the origin of the infinite set of three-body levels, is found to be consistent with recent experimental observations in other atomic species.

arXiv:1109.5807•Physical Review A•Jul 9, 2012•43 citations

Efimov Physics and Beyond

Sigurd Kohler

Efimov physics relates to 3-body systems with large 2-body scattering lengths a and small effective ranges r. For many systems in nature the assumption of a small effective range is not valid. The present report shows binding energies E of three identical bosons calculated with 2-body potentials that are fitted to scattering data and momentum cut-offs (L) by inverse scattering. Results agree with previous works in the case of r<0 when L=~10/r. With 1/a=0 the converged energies are given by E(n) =C(n)/r*r with n labeling the energy-branch and calculated values C(0)=0.77, C(1)=.0028. This gives a ratio ~278 thus differing from the value ~515 in the Efimov case. Efimov's angular dependent function is calculated. Good agreement with previous works is obtained when r<< a. With the increased values of effective range the shallow states still appear Efimov-like. For deeper states the angular dependence differs but is independent of the effective range.

arXiv:1108.3322•Aug 16, 2011•0 citations

Efimov states: what are they and why are they important?

J. H. Macek

The interaction of two atoms at energies in the microkelvin range is mainly characterized by one parameter, namely, the s-wave scattering length. Efimov showed that when the scattering length was effectively infinite, i.e. much larger than the natural length scale of the atoms, a large number of three-body bound states could form even when the two-body system supported only one weakly bound state, or possibly none at all. The states are bound in an effective 1/ R 2 potential and therefore form a series with a characteristic energy spacing. These states are called Efimov states and are conceptually important since they indicate a new way to form aggregates of particles. They bear some relation to vibrationally bound states of three atoms. The theory of these states and their relation to vibrational binding is reviewed in light of recent experimental measurements.

Physica Scripta•Jul 13, 2007•6 citations

Effective-field-theory analysis of Efimov physics in heteronuclear mixtures of ultracold atomic gases

Bijaya Acharya, Chen Ji, Lucas Platter

We use an effective-field-theory framework to analyze the Efimov effect in heteronuclear three-body systems consisting of two species of atoms with a large interspecies scattering length. In the leading-order description of this theory, various three-body observables in heteronuclear mixtures can be universally parametrized by one three-body parameter. We present the next-to-leading corrections, which include the effects of the finite interspecies effective range and the finite intraspecies scattering length, to various three-body observables. We show that only one additional three-body parameter is required to render the theory predictive at this order. By including the effective range and intraspecies scattering length corrections, we derive a set of universal relations that connect the different Efimov features near the interspecies Feshbach resonance. Furthermore, we show that these relations can be interpreted in terms of the running of the three-body counterterms that naturally emerge from proper renormalization. Finally, we make predictions for recombination observables of a number of atomic systems that are of experimental interest.

arXiv:1606.04508•Physical Review A•Sep 6, 2016•13 citations
Efimov states are a sequence of shallow three-body bound states that arise when the two-body scattering length is large. Efimov showed that the binding energies of these states can be calculated in terms of the scattering length and a three-body parameter by solving a transcendental equation involving a universal function of one variable. We calculate this universal function using effective field theory and use it to describe the three-body system of 4He{}^{4}\mathrm{He}4He atoms. We also extend Efimov's theory to include the effects of deep two-body bound states, which give widths to the Efimov states.
We calculate shallow three-body bound states in the universal regime, defined by Efimov, with inclusion of both scattering length and effective range parameters. We find corrections to the universal scaling laws for large binding energies. For narrow resonances we find a distinct nonmonotonic behavior of the threshold at which the lowest Efimov trimer merges with the three-body continuum. The origin of the three-body parameter is related to the two-body atom-atom interactions in a physically clear model. Our results demonstrate that experimental information from narrow Feshbach resonances and/or mixed systems are of vital importance to pin down the relation of two- and three-body physics in atomic systems.
In the low-energy limit, non-relativistic particles with short-range interactions exhibit universal behavior that is largely independent of microscopic details. This universality is typically described by effective field theory, in which the two-body interaction is renormalized to a single parameter-the scattering length. For systems of identical bosons, the three-body problem reveals the Efimov effect, a novel phenomenon proposed that necessitates the introduction of an additional three-body parameter. However, the exact relation between this three-body parameter, the coupling constants in the effective field theory, and the binding energies of Efimov states remains unresolved. In this Letter, we address this question through a comprehensive analysis of the Skorniakov-Ter-Martirosian equation with a finite cutoff. We establish an exact renormalization relation for the three-body parameter and determine its connection to the energies of Efimov bound states. These results are validated through high-precision numerical simulations. We expect our findings to be of fundamental interest across various fields, including atomic, nuclear, condensed matter, and particle physics, and to have broad applications in both few-body and many-body physics.
We consider a system of three 4{}^{4}4He atoms, which is so far the simplest realistic three-body system exhibiting the Efimov effect, in order to analyze deviations from the universal Efimov three-body spectrum. We first calculate the bound states using a realistic two-body potential, and then analyze how they can be reproduced by simple effective models beyond Efimov's universal theory. We find that the nonuniversal variations of the ground and first excited states can be well reproduced by models parametrized with only three quantities: the scattering length and effective range of the original potential, and a small three-body force. Furthermore, the three-body parameter, which fixes the origin of the infinite set of three-body levels, is found to be consistent with recent experimental observations in other atomic species.
Efimov physics relates to 3-body systems with large 2-body scattering lengths a and small effective ranges r. For many systems in nature the assumption of a small effective range is not valid. The present report shows binding energies E of three identical bosons calculated with 2-body potentials that are fitted to scattering data and momentum cut-offs (L) by inverse scattering. Results agree with previous works in the case of r<0 when L=~10/r. With 1/a=0 the converged energies are given by E(n) =C(n)/r*r with n labeling the energy-branch and calculated values C(0)=0.77, C(1)=.0028. This gives a ratio ~278 thus differing from the value ~515 in the Efimov case. Efimov's angular dependent function is calculated. Good agreement with previous works is obtained when r<< a. With the increased values of effective range the shallow states still appear Efimov-like. For deeper states the angular dependence differs but is independent of the effective range.
The interaction of two atoms at energies in the microkelvin range is mainly characterized by one parameter, namely, the s-wave scattering length. Efimov showed that when the scattering length was effectively infinite, i.e. much larger than the natural length scale of the atoms, a large number of three-body bound states could form even when the two-body system supported only one weakly bound state, or possibly none at all. The states are bound in an effective 1/ R 2 potential and therefore form a series with a characteristic energy spacing. These states are called Efimov states and are conceptually important since they indicate a new way to form aggregates of particles. They bear some relation to vibrationally bound states of three atoms. The theory of these states and their relation to vibrational binding is reviewed in light of recent experimental measurements.
We use an effective-field-theory framework to analyze the Efimov effect in heteronuclear three-body systems consisting of two species of atoms with a large interspecies scattering length. In the leading-order description of this theory, various three-body observables in heteronuclear mixtures can be universally parametrized by one three-body parameter. We present the next-to-leading corrections, which include the effects of the finite interspecies effective range and the finite intraspecies scattering length, to various three-body observables. We show that only one additional three-body parameter is required to render the theory predictive at this order. By including the effective range and intraspecies scattering length corrections, we derive a set of universal relations that connect the different Efimov features near the interspecies Feshbach resonance. Furthermore, we show that these relations can be interpreted in terms of the running of the three-body counterterms that naturally emerge from proper renormalization. Finally, we make predictions for recombination observables of a number of atomic systems that are of experimental interest.