Pairing fluctuations and anisotropic pseudogap phenomenon in an ultracold superfluid Fermi gas with plural pp-wave superfluid phases

We investigate superfluid properties of a one-component Fermi gas with a uniaxially anisotropic $p$-wave pairing interaction, $U_x>U_y=U_z$ (where $U_i$ ($i=x,y,z)$ is a $p_i$-wave pairing interaction). This type of interaction is considered to be realized in a $^{40}$K Fermi gas. Including pairing fluctuations within a strong-coupling $T$-matrix theory, we determine the $p_x$-wave superfluid phase transition temperature $T^{p_x}_{\rm c}$, as well as the other phase transition temperature $T_{\rm c}^{p_x+ip_y}$ ($<T_{\rm c}^{p_x}$), below which the superfluid order parameter has the $p_x+ip_y$-wave symmetry. In the normal state near $T^{p_x}_{\rm c}$, $p_x$-wave pairing fluctuations are shown to induce an anisotropic pseudogap phenomenon, where a dip structure in the angle-resolved density of states around $\omega=0$ is the most remarkable in the $p_x$ direction. In the $p_x$-wave superfluid phase ($T_{\rm c}^{p_x+ip_y}<T\le T_{\rm c}^{p_x}$), while the pseudogap in the $p_x$ direction continuously changes to the superfluid gap, the pseudogap in the perpendicular direction to the $p_x$ axis is found to continue developing, because of enhanced $p_y$-wave and $p_z$-wave pairing fluctuations around the node of the $p_x$-wave superfluid order parameter. Since pairing fluctuations are always suppressed in the isotropic $s$-wave superfluid state, this phenomenon is peculiar to an unconventional Fermi superfluid with a nodal superfluid order parameter. Since the $p$-wave Fermi superfluid is the most promising non $s$-wave pairing state in an ultracold Fermi gas, our results would contribute to understanding how the anisotropic pairing fluctuations, as well as the existence of plural superfluid phases, affect many-body properties of this unconventional Fermi superfluid.Comment: 27 pages, 11 figure

Closed-channel contribution in the BCS-BEC crossover regime of an ultracold Fermi gas with an orbital Feshbach resonance

We theoretically investigate strong-coupling properties of an ultracold Fermi gas with an orbital Feshbach resonance (OFR). Including tunable pairing interaction associated with an OFR within the framework of the strong-coupling theory developed by Nozi\`eres and Schmitt-Rink (NSR), we examine the occupation of the closed channel. We show that, although the importance of the closed channel is characteristic of the system with an OFR, the occupation number of the closed channel is found to actually be very small at the superfluid phase transition temperature $T_{\rm c}$, in the whole BCS (Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer)-BEC (Bose-Einstein condensation) crossover region, when we use the scattering parameters for an ultracold $^{173}$Yb Fermi gas. The occupation of the closed channel increases with increasing the temperature above $T_{\rm c}$, which is more remarkable for a stronger pairing interaction. We also present a prescription to remove effects of an experimentally inaccessible deep bound state from the NSR formalism, which we meet when we theoretically deal with a $^{173}$Yb Fermi gas with an OFR

Evolution of Cooper pairs with zero-center-of-mass momentum and their first-order correlation function in a two-dimensional ultracold Fermi gas near the observed Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition

We investigate the center-of-mass momentum distribution $n_{\boldsymbol Q}$ of Cooper pairs and their first-order correlation function $g_1(r)$ in a strongly interacting two-dimensional Fermi gas. Recently, the BKT (Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless) transition was reported in a two-dimensional $^6$Li Fermi gas, based on (1) the observations of anomalous enhancement of $n_{{\boldsymbol Q}={\boldsymbol 0}}$ [M. G. Ries, et. al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 230401 (2015)], as well as (2) a power-law behavior of $g_1(r)$ [P. A. Murthy, et. al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 010401 (2015)]. However, including pairing fluctuations within a $T$-matrix approximation (TMA), we show that these results can still be explained as strong-coupling properties of a normal-state two-dimensional Fermi gas. Our results indicate the importance of further experimental observations, to definitely confirm the realization of the BKT transition in this system. Since the BKT transition has been realized in a two-dimensional ultracold Bose gas, our results would be useful for the achievement of this quasi-long range order in an ultracold Fermi gas.Comment: 22 pages, 7 figure

Superfluid theory of a gas of polarized dipolar Fermi molecules

We present a superfluid theory of a polarized dipolar Fermi gas. For two dipolar molecules each of which consists of two atoms with positive charge and negative charge, we derive an effective dipole-dipole pairing interaction. Using this pairing interaction, we show that the resulting BCS gap equation is not suffered from the well-known ultraviolet divergence, so that one can quantitatively predict superfluid properties of a dipolar Fermi gas. Using this cutoff-free superfluid theory, we examine the symmetry of the superfluid order parameter at T=0. We also discuss the deformation of the Fermi surface, originating from the anisotropy of the dipole-dipole interaction.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure

Specific Heat and Effects of Uniaxial Anisotropy of a pp-wave Pairing Interaction in a Strongly Interacting Ultracold Fermi Gas

We investigate the specific heat $C_V$ at constant volume and effects of uniaxial anisotropy of a $p$-wave attractive interaction in the normal state of an ultracold Fermi gas. Within the framework of the strong-coupling theory developed by Nozi\`eres and Schmitt-Rink, we evaluate this thermodynamic quantity as a function of temperature, in the whole interaction regime. While the uniaxial anisotropy is not crucial for $C_V$ in the weak-coupling regime, $C_V$ is found to be sensitive to the uniaxial anisotropy in the strong-coupling regime. This originates from the population imbalance among $p_i$-wave molecules ($i=x,y,z$), indicating that the specific heat is a useful observable to see which kinds of $p$-wave molecules dominantly exist in the strong-coupling regime when the $p$-wave interaction has uniaxial anisotropy. Using this strong point, we classify the strong-coupling regime into some characteristic regions. Since a $p$-wave pairing interaction with uniaxial anisotropy has been discovered in a $^{40}$K Fermi gas, our results would be useful in considering strong-coupling properties of a $p$-wave interacting Fermi gas, when the interaction is uniaxially anisotropic.Comment: 21 pages, 7 figure

Single-particle Excitations and Effects of Hetero-pairing Fluctuations in a Bose-Fermi Mixture with a Feshbach Resonance

We theoretically investigate normal-state properties of a gas mixture of single-component bosons and fermions with a hetero-nuclear Feshbach resonance. Including strong hetero-pairing fluctuations associated with the Feshbach resonance, we calculate single-particle density of states, as well as the spectral weight at various interaction strengths. For this purpose, we employ an improved T-matrix approximation (TMA), where the bare Bose Green's function in the non-selfconsistent TMA self-energy is modified so as to satisfy the Hugenholtz-Pines relation at the Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) temperature $T_{\rm BEC}$. In the unitary regime at $T_{\rm BEC}$, we show that hetero-pairing fluctuations couple Fermi atomic excitations with Fermi molecular excitations, as well as with Bose atomic excitations. Although a similar coupling phenomenon by pairing fluctuations is known to give a pseudo-gapped density of states in the unitary regime of a two-component Fermi gas, such a dip structure is found to not appear even in the unitary limit of a Bose-Fermi mixture. It only appears in the strong-coupling regime. Instead, a spectral peak along the molecular dispersion appears in the spectral weight.We also clarify how this coupling phenomenon is seen in the Bose channel. Since a hetero-nuclear Feshbach resonance, as well as the formation of Bose-Fermi molecules, have been realized, our results would be useful for the study of strong-coupling properties of this unique quantum gas

A possible method to confirm ±s\pm s-wave pairing state using the Riedel anomaly in Fe-pnictide superconductors

We theoretically propose a method to identify $\pm s$-wave order parameter in recently discovered Fe-pnictide superconductors. Our idea uses the Riedel anomaly in ac-Josephson current through an SI($\pm$ S) (single-band s-wave superconductor/insulator/$\pm$s-wave two-band superconductor) junction. We show that the Riedel peak effect leads to vanishing ac-Josephson current at some values of biased voltage. This phenomenon does not occur in the case when the $\pm s$-wave superconductor is replaced by a conventional s-wave one, so that the observation of this vanishing Josephson current would be a clear signature of $\pm s$-wave pairing state in Fe-pnictide superconductors.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Strong coupling effects on specific heat in the BCS-BEC crossover

We theoretically investigate strong-coupling effects on specific heat at constant volume $C_{\rm V}$ in a superfluid Fermi gas with a tunable interaction associated with Feshbach resonance. Including fluctuations of the superfluid order parameter within the strong-coupling theory developed by Nozi\`eres and Schmitt-Rink, we calculate the temperature dependence of $C_{\rm V}$ at the unitarity limit in the superfluid phase. We show that, in the low temperature region, $T^3$-behavior is shown in the temperature dependence of $C_{\rm V}$. This result indicates that the low-lying excitations are dominated by the gapless Goldstone mode, associated with the phase fluctuations of the superfluid order parameter. Since the Goldstone mode is one of the most fundamental phenomena in the Fermionic superfluidity, our results are useful for further understanding how the pairing fluctuations affects physical properties in the BCS-BEC crossover physics below the superfluid transition temperature.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure

Pseudogap regime of a two-dimensional uniform Fermi gas

We investigate pseudogap phenomena in a two-dimensional Fermi gas. Including pairing fluctuations within a self-consistent $T$-matrix approximation, we determine the pseudogap temperature $T^*$ below which a dip appears in the density of states $\rho(\omega)$ around the Fermi level. Evaluating $T^*$, we identify the pseudogap region in the phase diagram of this system. We find that, while the observed BKT (Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless) transition temperature $T^{\rm exp}_{\rm BKT}$ in a $^6$Li Fermi gas is in the pseudogap regime, the detailed pseudogap structure in $\rho(\omega)$ at $T^{\rm exp}_{\rm BKT}$ still differs from a fully-gapped one, indicating the importance of amplitude fluctuations in the Cooper channel there. Since the observed $T^{\rm exp}_{\rm BKT}$ in the weak-coupling regime cannot be explained by the recent BKT theory which only includes phase fluctuations, our results may provide a hint about how to improve this BKT theory. Although $\rho(\omega)$ has not been measured in this system, we show that the assessment of our results is still possible by using the observable Tan's contact.Comment: 23 pages, 9 figure

Strong-Coupling and Finite Temperature Effects on pp-wave Contacts

We theoretically investigate strong-coupling and finite temperature effects on the p-wave contacts, as well as the asymptotic behavior of the momentum distribution in large momentum region in a one-component Fermi gas with a tunable p-wave interaction. Including p-wave pairing fluctuations within a strong-coupling theory, we calculate the p-wave contacts above the superfluid transition temperature $T_{\rm c}$ from the adiabatic energy relations. We show that while the p-wave contacts related to the scattering volume monotonically increases with increasing the interaction strength, one related to the effective range non-monotonically depends on interaction strength and its sign changes in the intermediate-coupling regime. The non-monotonic interaction dependence of these quantities is shown to originate from the competition between the increase of the cutoff momentum and the decrease of the coupling constant of the p-wave interaction with increasing the effective range. We also analyze the asymptotic form of the momentum distribution in large momentum region. In contrast to the conventional s-wave case, we show that the asymptotic behavior cannot be completely described by only the p-wave contacts, and the extra terms, which is not related to the thermodynamic properties, appear. Furthermore, in high temperature region, we find that the extra terms dominate the sub-leading term of the large-momentum distribution. We also directly compare our results with the recent experimental measurement, by including the effects of a harmonic trap potential within the local density approximation. We show that our model explains the dependence on the interaction strength of the p-wave contacts.Comment: 26 pages, 12 figure