Exotic Superfluid Phases in Spin Polarized Systems on Optical Lattices

TL;DR

This study uses advanced numerical methods to investigate the stability and properties of the FFLO superfluid phase in a high-density, spin-polarized Fermi gas on a 2D optical lattice, revealing coexistence of density order and superfluidity.

Contribution

It provides the first strong numerical evidence for the stability of the FFLO phase in large 2D optical lattices at high density and small spin polarization.

Findings

Evidence of stable FFLO superfluid phase in large lattice systems.

Detection of density order coexisting with superfluidity.

Significant deviations from mean-field predictions.

Abstract

Leveraging cutting-edge numerical methodologies, we study the ground state of the two-dimensional spin-polarized Fermi gas in an optical lattice. We focus on systems at high density and small spin polarization, corresponding to the parameter regime believed to be most favorable to the formation of the elusive Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) superfluid phase. Our systematic study of large lattice sizes, hosting nearly $500$ atoms, provides strong evidence of the stability of the FFLO state in this regime, as well as a high-accuracy characterization of its properties. Our results for the density correlation function reveal the existence of density order in the system, suggesting the possibility of an intricate coexistence of long-range orders in the ground state. The ground-state properties are seen to differ significantly from the standard mean-field description, providing a compelling avenue for future theoretical and experimental explorations of the interplay between interaction and superfluidity in an exotic phase of matter.