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arXiv:cond-mat/0503535 · Physical Review A

Manifestations of the Efimov effect for three identical bosons

José Paulo D'Incao, Brett D. Esry

Published Sep 12, 2005• 27 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We present numerical solutions of the Schr\"odinger equation for three identical bosons from very large to essentially infinite two-body $s$-wave scattering lengths $a$. We have considered scattering lengths up to $2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{5}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{a.u.}$ and solved the hyperangular part of the Schr\"odinger equation for distances up to ${10}^{6}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{a.u.}$ From these, we obtained the three-body effective potentials, hyperspherical channel functions and the asymptotic behavior of the nonadiabatic couplings in order to characterize the main aspects of the Efimov states. These results allow us to test and quantify the assumptions related to the Efimov effect.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.72.032710

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We present numerical solutions of the Schr"odinger equation for three identical bosons from very large to essentially infinite two-body sss-wave scattering lengths aaa. We have considered scattering lengths up to 2\ifmmode×\else\texttimes\fi105a.u.2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{5}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{a.u.}2\ifmmode×\else\texttimes\fi105a.u. and solved the hyperangular part of the Schr"odinger equation for distances up to 106a.u.{10}^{6}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{a.u.}106a.u. From these, we obtained the three-body effective potentials, hyperspherical channel functions and the asymptotic behavior of the nonadiabatic couplings in order to characterize the main aspects of the Efimov states. These results allow us to test and quantify the assumptions related to the Efimov effect.
This work will introduce the Efimov effect and the resonant and scaling limits and derive the formula for the binding energies of the Efimov states. We use the hyperspherical coordinates for the stationary wave function of three particles and solve the low-energy Faddeev equation with the hyperspherical expansion and use the expansion for solving the channel eigenvalues λn(R). The channel eigenvalues are defined by a constant s0, which is the solution of the resulting transcendental equation. We also solve the scaling-violation parameter Λ0 and finally compile all the results to derive the Efimov states. In the unitary limit we find infinitely many Efimov states, with an accumulation point at zero energy and an asymptotic discrete scaling symmetry with the discrete scaling factor e π s0 ≈ 22.7. In this work, we will also delve into effective field theories, which can be used to numerically analyze and solve Efimov states in different cases. We will first go through the two-body problem which is used as a simpler example on how to solve the three-body problem and to solve the two-body coupling constant g2, which will also appear in the three-body problem. By using the diatom field trick introduced by Bedaque, Hammer and van Kolck, we derive the Skorniakov-Ter-Martirosian equation for the three-body problem. Finally this work will take a quick look at the first experimental evidences for Efimov states that were found since 2006. In the experiment, proper Efimov resonances in measurements of three-body recombination have been observed.
We consider a system of three identical bosons near a Feshbach resonance in the universal regime with large scattering length usually described by model-independent zero-range potentials. We employ the adiabatic hyperspherical approximation and derive the rigorous large-distance equation for the adiabatic potential for finite-range interactions. The effective range correction to the zero-range approximation must be supplemented by a new term of the same order. The nonadiabatic term can be decisive. Efimov physics is always confined to the range between effective range and scattering length. The analytical results agree with numerical calculations for realistic potentials.
We study the wave function φ(3)φ^{(3)}φ(3) of three identical bosons scattering at zero energy, zero total momentum, and zero orbital angular momentum in two dimensions, interacting via short-range potentials with a finite two-body scattering length aaa. We derive asymptotic expansions of φ(3)φ^{(3)}φ(3) in two regimes: the 111-expansion, where all three pairwise distances are large, and the 21-expansion, where one particle is far from the other two. In the 111-expansion, the leading term grows as ln⁡3(B/a)\ln^3(B/a)ln3(B/a) at large hyperradius B=(s12+s22+s32)/2B=\sqrt{(s_1^2+s_2^2+s_3^2)/2}B=(s12​+s22​+s32​)/2​. At order B−2ln⁡−3(B/a)B^{-2}\ln^{-3}(B/a)B−2ln−3(B/a), we identify a three-body parameter DDD with dimension of length squared, which we term the three-body scattering area. This quantity should be contrasted with the three-body scattering area previously studied for infinite or vanishing two-body scattering length. If the two-body interaction is attractive and supports bound states, DDD acquires a negative imaginary part, and we derive its relation to the probability amplitudes for the production of two-body bound states in three-body collisions. Under weak modifications of the interaction potentials, we derive the corresponding shift of DDD in terms of φ(3)φ^{(3)}φ(3) and the changes of the two-body and three-body potentials. We also study the effects of DDD and φ(3)φ^{(3)}φ(3) on three-body and many-body physics, including the three-body ground-state energy in a large periodic volume, the many-body energy and the three-body correlation function of the dilute two-dimensional Bose gas, and the three-body recombination rates of two-dimensional ultracold atomic Bose gases.
The adiabatic hyperspherical technique is applied to investigate the asymptotic behavior of three-body systems. Here our attention is focused on deriving the analytical expressions for the asymptotic effective potential curves and the corresponding channel wave functions of the system, which, so far, cannot be obtained otherwise by conventional numerical methods to the required accuracy. Firstly, we consider a system of three charged particles of which two have opposite charges. We study such asymptotic regions in which one particle is far away from the other two, leaving them in either the ground state or, more importantly, excited ones. Asymptotic adiabatic hyperspherical potential curves and channel wave functions, valid through 1/R$\sp4$ and 1/R$\sp2$ respectively, are obtained. The wave functions and potentials include the polarization potential characteristic of the polarized orbital approximation. Terms specific to the separation in hyperspherical coordinates are identified. This investigation is then extended to three-body systems such as Helium and other iso-electronic ions in which two of the particles are identical. A symmetrization treatment of such systems leads us to a reasonable approximation to their asymptotic potential curves. Secondly, we study three neutral bosons with two-body short range interactions characterized by the so-called effective range r$\sb{\rm o}$ and scattering length c$\sb{\rm o}$. Analytical expressions for the effective hyper-radial potential are also obtained without explicit use of the two-body potential. The analytical results are then used to compare the general asymptotic behaviors of three-body systems interacting via short range potentials with those interacting via long range Coulomb ones. Possible loosely bound states of the system have also been analyzed quantitatively and the result confirms the prediction by Efimov. At the same time, some new characteristics of the three-body system are discussed. This investigation, once again, demonstrates the adiabatic hyperspherical method as a comprehensive framework for quantitative treatment of three-body systems.
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.
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.