Precise Determination of the Structure Factor and Contact in a Unitary Fermi Gas

Sascha Hoinka, Marcus Lingham, Kristian Fenech, Hui Hu, Chris J. Vale, Joaquín E. Drut, and Stefano Gandolfi
Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 055305 – Published 30 January 2013

Abstract

We present a high-precision determination of the universal contact parameter in a strongly interacting Fermi gas. In a trapped gas at unitarity, we find the contact to be 3.06±0.08 at a temperature of 0.08 of the Fermi temperature in a harmonic trap. The contact governs the high-momentum (short-range) properties of these systems, and this low-temperature measurement provides a new benchmark for the zero-temperature homogeneous contact. The experimental measurement utilizes Bragg spectroscopy to obtain the dynamic and static structure factors of ultracold Fermi gases at high momentum in the unitarity and molecular Bose-Einstein condensate regimes. We have also performed quantum Monte Carlo calculations of the static properties, extending from the weakly coupled BCS regime to the strongly coupled Bose-Einstein condensate case, that show agreement with experiment at the level of a few percent.

  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Received 13 September 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.055305

© 2013 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Sascha Hoinka1, Marcus Lingham1, Kristian Fenech1, Hui Hu1, Chris J. Vale1, Joaquín E. Drut2,3, and Stefano Gandolfi3

  • 1Centre for Atom Optics and Ultrafast Spectroscopy, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Victoria 3122, Australia
  • 2Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3255, USA
  • 3Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 110, Iss. 5 — 1 February 2013

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
CHORUS

Article Available via CHORUS

Download Accepted Manuscript
Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review Letters

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×