Inhomogeneous state of few-fermion superfluids

Phys Rev Lett. 2013 Jul 26;111(4):045301. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.045301. Epub 2013 Jul 22.

Abstract

The few-fermion atomic gas is an ideal setting to explore inhomogeneous superfluid pairing analogous to the Larkin-Ovchinnikov state. Two up and one down-spin atom is the minimal configuration that displays an inhomogeneous pairing density, whereas imbalanced systems containing more fermions present a more complex pairing topology. With more than eight atoms trapped the system approaches the macroscopic superfluid limit. An oblate trap with a central barrier offers a direct experimental probe of pairing inhomogeneity.