Normal state properties of spin-orbit coupled Fermi gases in the upper branch of energy spectrum

TL;DR

This paper analytically studies the normal state properties of spin-orbit coupled Fermi gases in the upper energy branch, revealing band-dependent modifications due to Rashba coupling and providing results relevant for experimental observations.

Contribution

It derives analytical expressions for key Fermi liquid parameters in spin-orbit coupled Fermi gases, highlighting first-order effects of Rashba coupling on these properties.

Findings

Quasi-particle lifetime and effective mass depend on Rashba band index.

Significant differences in spectral weight, density of states, and specific heat due to spin-orbit coupling.

Modifications occur at first order in spin-orbit coupling strength.

Abstract

We investigate normal state properties of spin-orbit coupled Fermi gases with repulsive s-wave interaction, in the absence of molecule formation, i.e., in the so-called "upper branch". Within the framework of random phase approximation, we derive analytical expressions for the quasi-particle lifetime $\tau_s$, the effective mass $m_s^*$, and the Green's function renormalization factor $Z_s$ in the presence of Rashba spin-orbit coupling. In contrast to spin-orbit coupled electron gas with Coulomb interaction, we show that the modifications are dependent on the Rashba band index s, and occur in the first order of the spin-orbit coupling strength. We also calculate experimental observable such as spectral weight, density of state and specific heat, which exhibit significant differences from their counterparts without spin-orbit coupling. We expect our microscopic calculations of these Fermi liquid parameters would have the immediate applications to the spin-orbit coupled Fermi gases in the upper branch of the energy spectrum.