Quantum scale anomaly and spatial coherence in a 2D Fermi superfluid

Area of Science:

• Quantum physics
• Condensed matter physics
• Ultracold atomic gases

Background:

• Quantum anomalies violate classical scaling symmetries in quantized theories.
• Their experimental impact on observables is often challenging to detect.
• Two-dimensional (2D) Fermi superfluids are crucial systems for studying quantum phenomena.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and characterize a quantum anomaly in the dynamics of a 2D Fermi superfluid.
• To investigate the influence of quantum anomalies on experimental observables.
• To understand the effect of quantum anomalies on critical properties of superfluids.

Main Methods:

• Utilized ultracold atoms to create a 2D Fermi superfluid.
• Measured pair momentum distributions during a breathing mode cycle.
• Analyzed scaling violations in the strongly interacting regime.

Main Results:

• Discovered a distinct manifestation of a quantum anomaly in momentum-space dynamics.
• Observed a scaling violation in pair momentum distributions.
• Found that quantum anomalies modify power-law exponents governing phase correlations.

Conclusions:

• Quantum anomalies significantly influence the critical properties of 2D Fermi superfluids.
• The study provides experimental evidence for the impact of quantum anomalies on observable properties.
• Highlights the role of quantum anomalies in strongly interacting quantum systems.