Density Matrix Expansion for Low-Momentum Interactions

TL;DR

This paper advances nuclear energy density functional development by adapting the density matrix expansion for low-momentum interactions, including three-body forces, and discusses pathways for systematic improvements.

Contribution

It introduces a generalized DME for non-local potentials and three-body interactions, providing a foundation for universal nuclear energy density functionals.

Findings

Adapted DME for non-local momentum-space potentials

Compared different three-body DME prescriptions

Presented exploratory Hartree-Fock results

Abstract

A first step toward a universal nuclear energy density functional based on low-momentum interactions is taken using the density matrix expansion (DME) of Negele and Vautherin. The DME is adapted for non-local momentum-space potentials and generalized to include local three-body interactions. Different prescriptions for the three-body DME are compared. Exploratory results are given at the Hartree-Fock level, along with a roadmap for systematic improvements within an effective action framework for Kohn-Sham density functional theory.