Abstract
The phenomenon of superfluidity is closely related to Bose-Einstein
condensation, as was shown in the foundation of the microscopic theory
of superfluid ^4He in the 1960's. In bosonic fluids the phase transition
is marked by the appearance of a macroscopic number of bosons in the
lowest quantum state. In fermionic systems the occurrence of
superconductivity and superfluidity, such as occurs in superconductors
and liquid ^3He, is due to the rise of a pairing field and thereby, in a
generalized sense, to a condensation of Cooper pairs. We show that a
dilute fermionic alkali gas could undergo a transition to a superfluid
state at an extraordinarily high transition temperature T_c, that can be
up to half the Fermi temperature. Such a high value of Tc can
be achieved through a Feshbach resonance pairing mechanism. The
possibility to vary the magnetic field gives the unique opportunity to
explore the still unknown crossover regime between the known BCS and BEC
systems. Since this value of Tc is larger than the
temperatures already achieved in a degenerate Fermi gas of potassium
atoms, it should be possible to create this new type of quantum matter
in current experiments.
| Original language | English |
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| Publication status | Published - 1 May 2001 |
| Event | 32nd Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics (DAMOP), May 16-19, 2001, London, Ontario, Canada - London, Canada Duration: 16 May 2001 → 19 May 2001 |
Conference
| Conference | 32nd Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics (DAMOP), May 16-19, 2001, London, Ontario, Canada |
|---|---|
| Abbreviated title | DAMOP 2001 |
| Country/Territory | Canada |
| City | London |
| Period | 16/05/01 → 19/05/01 |