Three-dimensional Bose-Fermi droplets at nonzero temperatures

TL;DR

This paper investigates the formation and properties of self-bound Bose-Fermi droplets at nonzero temperatures using numerical quantum hydrodynamics and Hartree-Fock models, revealing conditions for their existence and stability.

Contribution

It introduces a combined quantum hydrodynamics and Hartree-Fock approach to study finite-temperature Bose-Fermi droplets, highlighting their formation conditions and equilibrium properties.

Findings

Low-temperature droplets with finite lifetimes can exist in free space.

Droplets can be stable in a box potential at nonzero temperatures.

Droplet properties depend on initial condensate fraction and interspecies attraction.

Abstract

Using numerical methods, we study the formation of self-bound quantum Bose-Fermi droplets at nonzero temperatures. We describe an attractive atomic Bose-Fermi mixture using quantum hydrodynamics enriched by beyond-mean-field corrections and thermal fluctuations, together with a simplified self-consistent Hartree-Fock model. With these models, we determine that low-temperature droplets with finite lifetimes can exist in free space when the attraction between bosons and fermions is sufficiently strong. Additionally, Bose-Fermi droplets at nonzero temperatures can exist in a box potential in equilibrium with bosonic and fermionic vapor. We discuss the properties of Bose-Fermi droplets at nonzero temperatures in terms of the initial condensate fraction, total atom number, and interspecies attraction strength.