Instability of a trapped ultracold Fermi gas with attractive interactions : quantum effects

TL;DR

This paper examines how quantum effects influence the mechanical instability of a trapped ultracold Fermi gas with attractive interactions, extending mean field predictions to realistic trapping conditions.

Contribution

It analyzes the impact of quantum effects on the instability of an ultracold Fermi gas in a trap, going beyond mean field theory for homogeneous systems.

Findings

Quantum effects modify the predicted instability threshold.

Trapping potential influences the stability conditions.

Mean field predictions are adjusted by quantum considerations.

Abstract

We consider the possible mechanical instability of an ultracold Fermi gas due to the attractive interactions between fermions of different species. We investigate how the instability, predicted by a mean field calculation for an homogeneous system, is modified when the gas is trapped in a harmonic potential and quantum effects are included.