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/0604034 · Physical Review B

Ground-state energy and stability limit of He3 droplets

E. Sola, J. Casulleras, Jordi Boronat

Published Mar 30, 2006• 24 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Small and stable drops of $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ atoms can only exist above a minimum number of particles, due to the combination of the $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ atom Fermi statistics and its light mass. An accurate estimation of this minimum number using microscopic theory has been difficult due to the inhomogeneous and fermionic nature of these systems. We present a diffusion Monte Carlo calculation of $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ drops with sizes near the minimum in order to determine the stability threshold. The results show that the minimum self-bound drop is formed by $N=30$ atoms with preferred orbitals for open shells corresponding to maximum value of the spin.

DOI
10.1103/physrevb.73.092515

Related papers

GROUND-STATE PROPERTIES OF SMALL 3 He DROPS FROM QUANTUM MONTE CARLO SIMULATIONS

E. Sola, J. Casulleras, Jordi Boronat

We present recent results from a diffusion Monte Carlo study of small 3 He drops in the limit of zero temperature. Using the same methodology than in previous calculations carried out for bulk 3 He , we have obtained accurate results for their energy and structure properties. A relevant concern of this analysis has been the determination of the stability threshold for self binding. Our results show that the smallest self-bound drop is formed by N = 30 atoms, with preferred orbitals for open shells corresponding to maximum value of the spin. The quality of the upper bound energies provided by the fixed node approximation is analyzed by performing released-node estimations for short released times. Possible improvements of the nodal surface by including BCS-like correlation functions are also discussed.

International Journal of Modern Physics B•May 30, 2007•1 citation

Minimal mass size of a stable He3 cluster

R. Guardiola, Jesús Navarro

The minimal number of $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ atoms required to form a bound cluster has been estimated by means of a diffusion Monte Carlo procedure within the fixed-node approximation. Several importance sampling wave functions have been employed in order to consider different shell-model configurations. The resulting upper bound for the minimal number is 32 atoms.

arXiv:physics/0408127•Physical Review A•Mar 18, 2005•16 citations

The spectra of mixed He3–He4 droplets

Stefano Fantoni, R. Guardiola, Jesús Navarro +1 more

The diffusion Monte Carlo technique is used to calculate and analyze the excitation spectrum of 3He atoms bound to a cluster of 4He atoms by using a previously determined optimum filling of single-fermion orbits with well-defined orbital angular momentum L, spin S, and parity quantum numbers. The study concentrates on the energies and shapes of the three kinds of states for which the fermionic part of the wave function is a single Slater determinant: maximum L or maximum S states within a given orbit, and fully polarized clusters. The picture that emerges is that of systems with strong shell effects, whose binding and excitation energies are essentially determined by averages over configuration at fixed number of particles and spin, i.e., by the monopole properties of an effective Hamiltonian.

arXiv:physics/0505029•The Journal of Chemical Physics•Aug 1, 2005•9 citations

Structure and Stability of 3He Droplets

M. Barranco, Jesús Navarro, A. Poves

We have studied the structure of ${}^{3}\mathrm{He}$ droplets at zero temperature using a density functional approach plus a configuration interaction calculation in an harmonic oscillator major shell. The most salient feature of open shell drops is that the valence atoms couple their spins to the maximum value compatible with Pauli's principle, building a large magnetic moment. We have determined that 29 atoms constitute the smallest self-bound droplet.

Physical Review Letters•Jun 23, 1997•50 citations

Dynamics of He4 droplets

E. Krotscheck, Robert E. Zillich

Optimized variational calculations have been carried out for clusters of He4 between N=20 and N=1000 atoms. For small cluster sizes with less or equal to 112 particles, where comparisons with existing diffusion Monte Carlo results are possible, we find good agreement for the ground state energies and densities. Using a somewhat simpler approximation, we also calculate the bound state energies of He3 atoms attached to these clusters. We then calculate excitations and the dynamic structure function. The complex and nonlocal self-energy introduced for that purpose gives access to the calculation of both elastic and inelastic scattering processes for He4 and He3 atoms impinging on the clusters.

The Journal of Chemical Physics•Dec 8, 2001•52 citations

Self-bound clusters of one-dimensional fermionic mixtures

M. C. Gordillo

Diffusion Monte Carlo calculations on the possibility of having self-bound one-dimensional droplets of SU(6) $\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}$ SU(2) ultracold fermionic mixtures are presented. We found that, even though arrangements with attractive interactions with only two spin types are not self-bound, mixtures with at least three kinds of fermions form stable small drops. However, that stabilization decreases for very tight confinements, where a universal behavior is found for Fermi-Fermi and Fermi-Boson clusters including attractive and repulsive interactions.

arXiv:2212.03610•Physical Review Research•Nov 13, 2023•2 citations
Small and stable drops of 3He^{3}\mathrm{He}3He atoms can only exist above a minimum number of particles, due to the combination of the 3He^{3}\mathrm{He}3He atom Fermi statistics and its light mass. An accurate estimation of this minimum number using microscopic theory has been difficult due to the inhomogeneous and fermionic nature of these systems. We present a diffusion Monte Carlo calculation of 3He^{3}\mathrm{He}3He drops with sizes near the minimum in order to determine the stability threshold. The results show that the minimum self-bound drop is formed by N=30N=30N=30 atoms with preferred orbitals for open shells corresponding to maximum value of the spin.
We present recent results from a diffusion Monte Carlo study of small 3 He drops in the limit of zero temperature. Using the same methodology than in previous calculations carried out for bulk 3 He , we have obtained accurate results for their energy and structure properties. A relevant concern of this analysis has been the determination of the stability threshold for self binding. Our results show that the smallest self-bound drop is formed by N = 30 atoms, with preferred orbitals for open shells corresponding to maximum value of the spin. The quality of the upper bound energies provided by the fixed node approximation is analyzed by performing released-node estimations for short released times. Possible improvements of the nodal surface by including BCS-like correlation functions are also discussed.
The minimal number of 3He^{3}\mathrm{He}3He atoms required to form a bound cluster has been estimated by means of a diffusion Monte Carlo procedure within the fixed-node approximation. Several importance sampling wave functions have been employed in order to consider different shell-model configurations. The resulting upper bound for the minimal number is 32 atoms.
The diffusion Monte Carlo technique is used to calculate and analyze the excitation spectrum of 3He atoms bound to a cluster of 4He atoms by using a previously determined optimum filling of single-fermion orbits with well-defined orbital angular momentum L, spin S, and parity quantum numbers. The study concentrates on the energies and shapes of the three kinds of states for which the fermionic part of the wave function is a single Slater determinant: maximum L or maximum S states within a given orbit, and fully polarized clusters. The picture that emerges is that of systems with strong shell effects, whose binding and excitation energies are essentially determined by averages over configuration at fixed number of particles and spin, i.e., by the monopole properties of an effective Hamiltonian.
We have studied the structure of 3He{}^{3}\mathrm{He}3He droplets at zero temperature using a density functional approach plus a configuration interaction calculation in an harmonic oscillator major shell. The most salient feature of open shell drops is that the valence atoms couple their spins to the maximum value compatible with Pauli's principle, building a large magnetic moment. We have determined that 29 atoms constitute the smallest self-bound droplet.
Optimized variational calculations have been carried out for clusters of He4 between N=20 and N=1000 atoms. For small cluster sizes with less or equal to 112 particles, where comparisons with existing diffusion Monte Carlo results are possible, we find good agreement for the ground state energies and densities. Using a somewhat simpler approximation, we also calculate the bound state energies of He3 atoms attached to these clusters. We then calculate excitations and the dynamic structure function. The complex and nonlocal self-energy introduced for that purpose gives access to the calculation of both elastic and inelastic scattering processes for He4 and He3 atoms impinging on the clusters.
Diffusion Monte Carlo calculations on the possibility of having self-bound one-dimensional droplets of SU(6) $\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}$ SU(2) ultracold fermionic mixtures are presented. We found that, even though arrangements with attractive interactions with only two spin types are not self-bound, mixtures with at least three kinds of fermions form stable small drops. However, that stabilization decreases for very tight confinements, where a universal behavior is found for Fermi-Fermi and Fermi-Boson clusters including attractive and repulsive interactions.