Solving the Quantum Many-Body Problem via Correlations Measured with a Momentum Microscope
S S Hodgman1, R I Khakimov1, R J Lewis-Swan2,3
1Research School of Physics and Engineering, Australian National University, Canberra 0200, Australia.
Physical Review Letters
|July 1, 2017
Summary
Researchers measured multiparticle momentum correlations in ultracold helium atoms. This provides a new method to solve quantum many-body problems and extract the pairing field amplitude.
Area of Science:
- Quantum physics
- Atomic physics
- Many-body theory
Background:
- Physical observables in quantum many-body theory are described by correlation functions.
- Measuring these correlation functions offers an operational solution to the quantum many-body problem.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the measurement of multiparticle momentum correlations as a solution to the quantum many-body problem.
- To extract the pairing field amplitude from ultracold helium atoms.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a quantum many-body momentum microscope.
- Measured multiparticle momentum correlations up to third order between ultracold helium atoms in an s-wave scattering halo of colliding Bose-Einstein condensates.
Main Results:
- Successfully extracted the pairing field amplitude, a fundamental component of higher-order correlations.
- Demonstrated a record violation of the classical Cauchy-Schwarz inequality for correlated atom pairs and triples.
Conclusions:
- Measuring multiparticle momentum correlations is a viable approach to solving quantum many-body problems.
- This technique offers potential new insights into unconventional superconductivity and many-body localization.
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