The unitary Fermi gas: From Monte Carlo to density functionals

Abstract

In this chapter, we describe three related studies of the universal physics of two-component unitary Fermi gases with resonant short-ranged interactions. First we discuss an ab initio auxiliary field quantum Monte Carlo technique for calculating thermodynamic properties of the unitary gas from first principles. We then describe in detail a Density Functional Theory (DFT) fit to these thermodynamic properties: the Superfluid Local Density Approximation (SLDA) and its Asymmetric (ASLDA) generalization. We present several applications, including vortex structure, trapped systems, and a supersolid Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO/LOFF) state. Finally, we discuss the time-dependent extension to the density functional (TDDFT) which can describe quantum dynamics in these systems, including non-adiabatic evolution, superfluid to normal transitions and other modes not accessible in traditional frameworks such as a Landau-Ginzburg, Gross-Pitaevskii, or quantum hydrodynamics. © 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.