A Generalized Uhlenbeck and Beth Formula for the Third Cluster Coefficient

TL;DR

This paper generalizes the Uhlenbeck and Beth formula to include attractive forces and bound states, enabling accurate calculation of the third cluster coefficient in quantum many-body systems.

Contribution

It extends the third virial coefficient formula to systems with attractive interactions and bound states, broadening its applicability.

Findings

Validated the generalized formula with a 1D model

Included three-body bound states in the calculation

Demonstrated the approach with McGuire's model

Abstract

Relatively recently (A. Amaya-Tapia, S. Y. Larsen and M. Lassaut. Ann. Phys., vol. 306 (2011) 406), we presented a formula for the evaluation of the third Bose fugacity coefficient - leading to the third virial coefficient - in terms of three-body eigenphase shifts, for particles subject to repulsive forces. An analytical calculation for a 1-dim. model, for which the result is known, confirmed the validity of this approach. We now extend the formalism to particles with attractive forces, and therefore must allow for the possibility that the particles have bound states. We thus obtain a true generalization of the famous formula of Uhlenbeck and Beth (G.E. Uhlenbeck and E. Beth. Physica, vol. 3 (1936) 729; E. Beth and G.E. Uhlenbeck. ibid, vol.4 (1937) 915) (and of Gropper (L. Gropper. Phys. Rev. vol. 50 (1936) 963; ibid vol. 51 (1937) 1108)) for the second virial. We illustrate our formalism by a calculation, in an adiabatic approximation, of the third cluster in one dimension, using McGuire's model as in our previous paper, but with attractive forces. The inclusion of three-body bound states is trivial; taking into account states having asymptotically two particles bound, and one free, is not.