Phases of a bilayer Fermi gas

We investigate a two-species Fermi gas in which one species is confined in two parallel layers and interacts with the other species in the three-dimensional space by a tunable short-range interaction. Based on the controlled weak coupling analysis and the exact three-body calculation, we show that the system has a rich phase diagram in the plane of the effective scattering length and the layer separation. Resulting phases include an interlayer s-wave pairing, an intralayer p-wave pairing, a dimer Bose-Einstein condensation, and a Fermi gas of stable Efimov-like trimers. Our system provides a widely applicable scheme to induce long-range interlayer correlations in ultracold atoms.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures; (v2) stability of trimer is emphasized; (v3) published versio

Light-Front QCD(1+1) Coupled to Adjoint Scalar Matter

We consider adjoint scalar matter coupled to QCD(1+1) in light-cone quantization on a finite `interval' with periodic boundary conditions. We work with the gauge group SU(2) which is modified to ${\rm{SU(2)/Z_2}}$ by the non-trivial topology. The model is interesting for various nonperturbative approaches because it is the sector of zero transverse momentum gluons of pure glue QCD(2+1), where the scalar field is the remnant of the transverse gluon component. We use the Hamiltonian formalism in the gauge $\partial_- A^+ = 0$. What survives is the dynamical zero mode of $A^+$, which in other theories gives topological structure and degenerate vacua. With a point-splitting regularization designed to preserve symmetry under large gauge transformations, an extra $A^+$ dependent term appears in the current $J^+$. This is reminiscent of an (unwanted) anomaly. In particular, the gauge invariant charge and the similarly regulated $P^+$ no longer commute with the Hamiltonian. We show that nonetheless one can construct physical states of definite momentum which are not {\it invariant} under large gauge transformations but do {\it transform} in a well-defined way. As well, in the physical subspace we recover vanishing {\it expectation values} of the commutators between the gauge invariant charge, momentum and Hamiltonian operators. It is argued that in this theory the vacuum is nonetheless trivial and the spectrum is consistent with the results of others who have treated the large N, SU(N), version of this theory in the continuum limit.Comment: LaTex, 13 pages. Submitted to Physics Letters

Chord diagrams and BPHZ subtractions

The combinatorics of the BPHZ subtraction scheme for a class of ladder graphs for the three point vertex in $\phi^3$ theory is transcribed into certain connectivity relations for marked chord diagrams (knots with transversal intersections). The resolution of the singular crossings using the equivalence relations in these examples provides confirmation of a proposed fundamental relationship between knot theory and renormalization in perturbative quantum field theory.Comment: 12 pages, 5 Postscript figures, LaTex 2

CP-violating theta parameter in the domain model of the QCD vacuum

A non-zero CP-violating $\theta$ parameter is treated in the domain model which assumes a cluster-like vacuum structure whose units are characterised in particular by a topological charge which is not necessarily an integer number. In the present paper we restrict consideration to rational values of the charge. The model has previously been shown to manifest confinement, spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking and the absence of an axial U(1) Goldstone boson. We find that the specific structure of the minima of the free energy density of the domain ensemble forces a $2\pi$-periodicity of observables in $\theta$ for any number of light quarks, that vacuum doubling occurs at $\theta=\pi$ for any $N_f>1$ and any value of topological charge $q$. These features are in agreement with expectations based on anomalous Ward identities and large $N_c$ effective theories. We find also additional values of $\theta$ depending on $q$ for which vacuum doubling occurs.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures. Final version with modification of Eq.(2), additional references, minor typographical correction

Poincar\'e recurrence theorem and the strong CP-problem

The existence in the physical QCD vacuum of nonzero gluon condensates, such as $$, requires dominance of gluon fields with finite mean action density. This naturally allows any real number value for the unit ``topological charge'' $q$ characterising the fields approximating the gluon configurations which should dominate the QCD partition function. If $q$ is an irrational number then the critical values of the $\theta$ parameter for which CP is spontaneously broken are dense in $\mathbb{R}$, which provides for a mechanism of resolving the strong CP problem simultaneously with a correct implementation of $U_{\rm A}(1)$ symmetry. We present an explicit realisation of this mechanism within a QCD motivated domain model. Some model independent arguments are given that suggest the relevance of this mechanism also to genuine QCD.Comment: 8 pages, RevTeX, 3 figures. Revised after referee suggestions. Now includes model independent argument

On Zero Modes and the Vacuum Problem -- A Study of Scalar Adjoint Matter in Two-Dimensional Yang-Mills Theory via Light-Cone Quantisation

SU(2) Yang-Mills Theory coupled to massive adjoint scalar matter is studied in (1+1) dimensions using Discretised Light-Cone Quantisation. This theory can be obtained from pure Yang-Mills in 2+1 dimensions via dimensional reduction. On the light-cone, the vacuum structure of this theory is encoded in the dynamical zero mode of a gluon and a constrained mode of the scalar field. The latter satisfies a linear constraint, suggesting no nontrivial vacua in the present paradigm for symmetry breaking on the light-cone. I develop a diagrammatic method to solve the constraint equation. In the adiabatic approximation I compute the quantum mechanical potential governing the dynamical gauge mode. Due to a condensation of the lowest omentum modes of the dynamical gluons, a centrifugal barrier is generated in the adiabatic potential. In the present theory however, the barrier height appears too small to make any impact in this odel. Although the theory is superrenormalisable on naive powercounting grounds, the removal of ultraviolet divergences is nontrivial when the constrained mode is taken into account. The open aspects of this problem are discussed in detail.Comment: LaTeX file, 26 pages. 14 postscript figure

QED(1+1) at Finite Temperature -- a Study with Light-Cone Quantisation

We explore quantum electrodynamics in (1+1) dimensions at finite temperature using the method of Discretized Light-Cone Quantisation. The partition function, energy and specific heat are computed in the canonical ensemble using the spectrum of invariant masses computed with a standard DLCQ numerical routine. In particular, the specific heat exhibits a peak which grows as the continuum limit is numerically approached. A critical exponent is tentatively extracted. The surprising result is that the density of states contains significant finite size artifacts even for a relatively high harmonic resolution. These and the other outstanding problems in the present calculation are discussed.Comment: 10 pages, 11 Postscript figures, uses epsf.st

Towards Solving QCD - The Transverse Zero Modes in Light-Cone Quantization

We formulate QCD in (d+1) dimensions using Dirac's front form with periodic boundary conditions, that is, within Discretized Light-Cone Quantization. The formalism is worked out in detail for SU(2) pure glue theory in (2+1) dimensions which is approximated by restriction to the lowest {\it transverse} momentum gluons. The dimensionally-reduced theory turns out to be SU(2) gauge theory coupled to adjoint scalar matter in (1+1) dimensions. The scalar field is the remnant of the transverse gluon. This field has modes of both non-zero and zero {\it longitudinal} momentum. We categorize the types of zero modes that occur into three classes, dynamical, topological, and constrained, each well known in separate contexts. The equation for the constrained mode is explicitly worked out. The Gauss law is rather simply resolved to extract physical, namely color singlet states. The topological gauge mode is treated according to two alternative scenarios related to the In the one, a spectrum is found consistent with pure SU(2) gluons in (1+1) dimensions. In the other, the gauge mode excitations are estimated and their role in the spectrum with genuine Fock excitations is explored. A color singlet state is given which satisfies Gauss' law. Its invariant mass is estimated and discussed in the physical limit.Comment: LaTex document, 26 pages, one figure (obtainable by contacting authors). To appear in Physical. Review