Single-Particle Momentum Distribution of an Efimov trimer

TL;DR

This paper theoretically investigates the momentum distribution of Efimov trimers in ultracold atoms, revealing a unique 1/k^5 tail that signifies Efimov physics and impacts energy calculations.

Contribution

It introduces the analysis of the momentum distribution of Efimov trimers, highlighting a novel 1/k^5 tail as a hallmark of Efimov physics.

Findings

Discovery of a 1/k^5 tail in the momentum distribution

Breakdown of previous energy functional expressions

Implications for experimental observation of Efimov states

Abstract

Experimental progress in the study of strongly interacting ultracold atoms has recently allowed the observation of Efimov trimers. We study theoretically a non-conventional observable for these trimer states, that may be accessed experimentally, the momentum distribution n(k) of the constitutive bosonic particles. The large momentum part of the distribution is particularly intriguing: In addition to the expected 1/k^4 tail associated to contact interactions, it exhibits a subleading tail 1/k^5 which is a hall-mark of Efimov physics and leads to a breakdown of a previously proposed expression of the energy as a functional of the momentum distribution.