Using mean-field theory, we study the equilibrium properties of boson-fermion mixtures confined in a harmonic pancake-shaped trap at zero temperature. When the modulus of the
s-wave scattering lengths are comparable to the mixture thickness, two-dimensional scattering events introduce a logarithmic dependence on density in the coupling constants, greatly modifying the density profiles themselves. We show that, for the case of a negative boson-fermion three-dimensional
s-wave scattering length, the dimensional crossover stabilizes the mixture against collapse and drives it toward spatial demixing.
The structure of trapped binary mixtures of bosonic and fermionic atoms at zero temperature is studied using a modified Gross-Pitaevskii equation for the bosons which self-consistently includes the mean-field interaction generated by the fermionic cloud. The density of the fermionic component is described within the Thomas-Fermi approximation. The influence of the boson-boson and the boson-fermion s-wave interaction on the density profiles and the stability of the mixture is investigated systematically. Critical particle numbers for the mean-field collapse caused either by attractive boson-boson or by attractive boson-fermion interactions and for the onset of spatial component separation are discussed. It is shown that the interplay between the boson-boson and the boson-fermion interaction generates a rich and complex phase diagram. Finally, the specific properties and prospects of the boson-fermion mixtures available in present experiments are addressed.
We investigate the equilibrium properties of boson-fermion mixtures consisting of a Bose condensate and spin-polarized Fermi gas confined in a harmonic two-dimensional (2D) trap using mean-field theory. Boson-boson and boson-fermion coupling constants have a logarithmic dependence on the density because of the two-dimensional scattering events when the s -wave scattering lengths are on the order of mixture thickness. We show that this modifies the density profiles significantly. It is also shown that the dimensional crossover stabilizes the mixture against collapse and spatial demixing is observed for the case of a negative boson-fermion scattering length.