paper

Phases of asymmetric nuclear matter with broken space symmetries

arXiv:nucl-th/0209061 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevC.67.015802

Abstract

Isoscalar Cooper pairing in isospin asymmetric nuclear matter occurs between states populating two distinct Fermi surfaces, each for neutrons and protons. The transition from a BCS-like to the normal (unpaired) state, as the isospin asymmetry is increased, is intervened by superconducting phases which spontaneously break translational and rotational symmetries. One possibility is the formation of a condensate with a periodic crystallinelike structure where Cooper pairs carry net momentum (the nuclear Larkin-Ovchinnikov-Fulde-Ferrell-phase). Alternatively, perturbations of the Fermi surfaces away from spherical symmetry allow for minima in the condensate free energy which correspond to a states with quadrupole deformations of Fermi surfaces and zero momentum of the Cooper pairs. In a combined treatment of these phases we show that, although the Cooper pairing with finite momentum might arise as a local minimum, the lowest energy state features are deformed Fermi surfaces and Cooper pairs with vanishing total momentum.

22 pages, 6 figures, RevTex; v2: matches published version; v3: changes in the frontmatter, content unchanged

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