Observation of Fermi surface deformation in a dipolar quantum gas

TL;DR

This paper reports the first observation of Fermi surface deformation in a degenerate dipolar Fermi gas of erbium atoms, revealing the effects of magnetic dipole interactions and Pauli exclusion, and opening avenues for studying anisotropic many-body phenomena.

Contribution

It provides the first experimental evidence of Fermi surface deformation in a dipolar quantum gas, demonstrating tunability and many-body effects.

Findings

Fermi surface deformation observed in erbium dipolar gas

Deformation caused by dipole-dipole interactions and Pauli principle

Deformation tunable with Fermi energy

Abstract

The deformation of a Fermi surface is a fundamental phenomenon leading to a plethora of exotic quantum phases. Understanding these phases, which play crucial roles in a wealth of systems, is a major challenge in atomic and condensed-matter physics. Here, we report on the observation of a Fermi surface deformation in a degenerate dipolar Fermi gas of erbium atoms. The deformation is caused by the interplay between strong magnetic dipole-dipole interaction and the Pauli exclusion principle. We demonstrate the many-body nature of the effect and its tunability with the Fermi energy. Our observation provides basis for future studies on anisotropic many-body phenomena in normal and superfluid phases.