A new class of three-body states

TL;DR

This paper discovers an infinite series of three-body states in systems of identical bosons and fermions with attractive $1/r^2$ interactions, even when two-body states are absent, revealing a novel quantum phenomenon distinct from Efimov states.

Contribution

The study introduces a new class of three-body states arising from attractive $1/r^2$ potentials, expanding understanding of few-body quantum systems beyond Efimov physics.

Findings

Infinite three-body states found with attractive $1/r^2$ interactions

States exist even without two-body bound states

Effect persists with fermions and in presence of two-body states

Abstract

We calculate the three-body spectrum for identical bosons interacting via attractive $1/r^2$ potentials. We have found an infinite number of three-body states even when the pair interactions are too weak to support any two-body states. These new states thus share this surprising scenario with the Efimov effect, but are not themselves Efimov states. Our effect occurs for both identical bosons and identical fermions, and it persists in the presence of two-body bound states.