Emergent inflation of the Efimov spectrum under three-body spin-exchange interactions

Abstract

We resolve the unexpected and long-standing disagreement between experiment and theory in the Efimovian three-body spectrum of Li-7, commonly referred to as the lithium few-body puzzle. Our results show that the discrepancy arises out of the presence of strong non-universal three-body spin-exchange interactions, which enact an effective inflation of the universal Efimov spectrum. This conclusion is obtained from a thorough numerical solution of the quantum mechanical three-body problem, including precise interatomic interactions and all spin degrees of freedom for three alkali-metal atoms. Our results show excellent agreement with the experimental data regarding both the Efimov spectrum and the absolute rate constants of three-body recombination, and in addition reveal a general product propensity for such triatomic reactions in the Paschen-Back regime, stemming from Wigner's spin conservation rule.

arXiv comment6+5 pages, 3+3 figures

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• Spin hierarchy in van der Waals molecule formation via ultracold three-body recombination
• Observation of a Halo Trimer in an Ultracold Bose-Fermi Mixture
• Spin structure of diatomic van der Waals molecules of alkali atoms
• Closed-channel parameters of Feshbach resonances
• Universal Efimov spectra and fermionic doublets in highly mass-imbalanced cold-atom mixtures with van der Waals and dipole interactions
• Accurate simulation of Efimov physics in ultracold atomic gases with realistic three-body multichannel interactions