arXiv subjects

M. Gattobigio

Publications and source records attributed to M. Gattobigio.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

The $p\Lambda$ and $pp\Lambda$ correlation functions

In this work we present the study of $p\Lambda$ and $pp\Lambda$ scattering processes using femtoscopic correlation functions. This observable has been recently used to access the low-energy interaction of hadrons emitted in the final state of high-energy collisions, delivering unprecedented precision information of the interaction among strange hadrons. The formalism for particle pairs is well established and it relates the measured correlation functions with the scattering wave function and the emission source. In the present work we analyze the $NN\Lambda$ scattering in free space and relate the corresponding wave function to the $pp\Lambda$ correlation measurement performed by the ALICE collaboration. The three-body problem is solved using the hyperspherical adiabatic basis. Regarding the $p\Lambda$ and $pp\Lambda$ interactions, different models are used and their impact on the correlation function is studied. The three body force considered in this work is anchored to describe the binding energy of the hypertriton and to give a good description of the two four-body hypernuclei. As a main result we have observed a huge, low-energy peak in the $pp\Lambda$ correlation function, mainly produced by the $J^\pi=1/2^+$ three-body state. The study of this peak from an experimental as well as a theoretical point of view will provide important constraints to the two- and three-body interactions.

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arXiv2024

The $ppp$ correlation function with a screened Coulomb potential

The correlation function is a useful tool to study the interaction between hadrons. The theoretical description of this observable requires the knowledge of the scattering wave function, whose asymptotic part is distorted when two or more particles are charged. For a system of three (or more) particles, with more than two particles asymptotically free and at least two of them charged, the asymptotic part of the wave function is not known in a closed form. In the present study we introduce a screened Coulomb potential and analyze the impact of the screening radius on the correlation function. As we will show, when a sufficiently large screening radius is used, the correlation function results almost unchanged if compared to the case in which the unscreened Coulomb potential is used. This fact allows the use of free asymptotic matching conditions in the solution of the scattering equation simplifying noticeably the calculation of the correlation function. As an illustration we discuss the $pp$ and $ppp$ correlation functions.

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arXiv2021

A Many-Body Density Energy Functional

The Hohenberg-Kohn theorem and the Kohn-Sham equations, which are at the basis of the Density Functional Theory, are reformulated in terms of a particular many-body density, which is translational invariant and therefore is relevant for self-bound systems. In a similar way that there is a unique relation between the one-body density and the external potential that gives rise to it, we demonstrate that there is a unique relation between that particular many-body density and a definite many-body potential. The energy is then a functional of this density and its minimization leads to the ground-state energy of the system. As a proof of principle, the analogous of the Kohn-Sham equation is solved in the specific case of $^4$He atomic clusters, to put in evidence the advantages of this new formulation in terms of physical insights.

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arXiv2021

Efimov Physics and Connections to Nuclear Physics

Physical systems characterized by a shallow two-body bound or virtual state are governed at large distances by a continuous-scale invariance, which is broken to a discrete one when three or more particles come into play. This symmetry induces a universal behavior for different systems, independent of the details of the underlying interaction, rooted in the smallness of the ratio $\ell/a_B \ll 1$, where the length $a_B$ is associated to the binding energy of the two-body system $E_2=\hbar^2/m a_B^2$ and $\ell$ is the natural length given by the interaction range. Efimov physics refers to this universal behavior, which is often hidden by the on-set of system-specific non-universal effects. In this work we identify universal properties by providing an explicit link of physical systems to their unitary limit, in which $a_B\rightarrow\infty$, and show that nuclear systems belong to this class of universality.

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arXiv2020

Gaussian characterization of the unitary window for $N=3$: bound, scattering and virtual states

The three-body system inside the unitary window is studied for three equal bosons and three equal fermions having $1/2$ spin-isospin symmetry. We perform a gaussian characterization of the window using a gaussian potential to define trajectories for low-energy quantities as binding energies and phase shifts. On top of this trajectories experimental values are placed or, when not available, quantities calculated using realistic potentials that are known to reproduce experimental values. The intention is to show that the gaussian characterization of the window, thought as a contact interaction plus range corrections, captures the main low-energy properties of real systems as for example three helium atoms or three nucleons. The mapping of real systems on the gaussian trajectories is taken as indication of universal behavior. The trajectories continuously link the physical points to the unitary limit allowing for the explanation of strong correlations between observables appearing in real systems and which are known to exist in that limit. In the present study we focus on low-energy bound, scattering and virtual states.

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arXiv2020

From few to many bosons inside the unitary window: a transition between universal to non-universal behavior

Universal behaviour in few-bosons systems close to the unitary limit, where two bosons become unbound, has been intensively investigated in recent years both experimentally and theoretically. In this particular region, called the unitary window, details of the inter-particle interactions are not important and observables, such as binding energies, can be characterized by a few parameters. With an increasing number of particles the short-range repulsion, present in all atomic, molecular or nuclear interactions, gradually induces deviations from the universal behaviour. In the present letter we discuss for the first time a simple way of incorporating non-universal behaviour through one specific parameter which controls the smooth transition of the system from universal to non-universal regime. Using a system of $N$ helium atoms as an example we calculate their ground state energies as trajectories within the unitary window and also show that the control parameters can be used to determine the energy per particle in homogeneous systems when $N \rightarrow \infty$.

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arXiv2019

More on the universal equation for Efimov states

Efimov states are a sequence of shallow three-body bound states that arise when the two-body scattering length is much larger than the range of the interaction. The binding energies of these states are described as a function of the scattering length and one three-body parameter by a transcendental equation involving a universal function of one angular variable. We provide an accurate and convenient parametrization of this function. Moreover, we discuss the effective treatment of range corrections in the universal equation and compare with a strictly perturbative scheme.

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arXiv2018

Bosonic drops with two- and three-body interactions close to the unitary limit

When the binding energy of a two-body system goes to zero the two-body system shows a continuous scaling invariance governed by the large value of the scattering length. In the case of three identical bosons, the three-body system in the same limit shows the Efimov effect and the scale invariance is broken to a discrete scale invariance. As the number of bosons increases correlations appear between the binding energy of the few- and many-body systems. We discuss some of them as the relation between the saturation properties of the infinite system and the low-energy properties of the few-boson system.

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arXiv2017

Universal behavior of few-boson systems using potential models

The universal behavior of a three-boson system close to the unitary limit is encoded in a simple dependence of many observables in terms of few parameters. For example the product of the three-body parameter $κ_*$ and the two-body scattering length $a$, $κ_* a$ depends on the angle $ξ$ defined by $E_3/E_2=\tan^2ξ$. A similar dependence is observed in the ratio $a_{AD}/a$ with $a_{AD}$ the boson-dimer scattering length. We use a two-parameter potential to determine this simple behavior and, as an application, to compute $a_{AD}$ for the case of three $^4$He atoms.

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arXiv2017

Implications of Efimov physics for the description of three and four nucleons in chiral effective field theory

In chiral effective field theory the leading order (LO) nucleon-nucleon potential includes two contact terms, in the two spin channels $S=0,1$, and the one-pion-exchange potential. When the pion degrees of freedom are integrated out, as in the pionless effective field theory, the LO potential includes two contact terms only. In the three-nucleon system, the pionless theory includes a three-nucleon contact term interaction at LO whereas the chiral effective theory does not. Accordingly arbitrary differences could be observed in the LO description of three- and four-nucleon binding energies. We analyze the two theories at LO and conclude that a three-nucleon contact term is necessary at this order in both theories. In turn this implies that subleading three-nucleon contact terms should be promoted to lower orders. Furthermore this analysis shows that one single low energy constant might be sufficient to explain the large values of the singlet and triplet scattering lengths.

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arXiv2015

Universal range corrections to the Efimov trimer for a class of paths to the unitary limit

Using potential models we analyze range corrections to the universal law dictated by the Efimov theory of three bosons. In the case of finite-range interactions we have observed that, at first order, it is necessary to supplement the theory with one finite-range parameter, $Γ_n^3$, for each specific $n$-level [Kievsky and Gattobigio, Phys. Rev. A {\bf 87}, 052719 (2013)]. The value of $Γ_n^3$ depends on the way the potentials is changed to tune the scattering length toward the unitary limit. In this work we analyze a particular path in which the length $r_B=a-a_B$, measuring the difference between the two-body scattering length $a$ and the energy scattering length $a_B$, results almost constant. Analyzing systems with very different scales, as atomic or nuclear systems, we observe that the finite-range parameter remains almost constant along the path with a numerical value of $Γ_0^3\approx 0.87$ for the ground state level. This observation suggests the possibility of constructing a single universal function that incorporate finite-range effects for this class of paths. The result is used to estimate the three-body parameter $κ_*$ in the case of real atomic systems brought to the unitary limit thought a broad Feshbach resonances. Furthermore, we show that the finite-range parameter can be put in relation with the two-body contact $C_2$ at the unitary limit.

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arXiv2015

Efimov physics with $1/2$ spin-isospin fermions

The structure of few-fermion systems having $1/2$ spin-isospin symmetry is studied using potential models. The strength and range of the two-body potentials are fixed to describe low energy observables in the angular momentum $L=0$ state and spin $S=0,1$ channels of the two-body system. Successively the strength of the potentials are varied in order to explore energy regions in which the two-body scattering lengths are close to the unitary limit. This study is motivated by the fact that in the nuclear system the singlet and triplet scattering lengths are both large with respect to the range of the interaction. Accordingly we expect evidence of universal behavior in the three- and four-nucleon systems that can be observed from the study of correlations between observables. In particular we concentrate in the behavior of the first excited state of the three-nucleon system as the system moves away from the unitary limit. We also analyze the dependence on the range of the three-body force of some low-energy observables in the three- and four-nucleon systems.

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arXiv2015

Weakly bound states with spin-isospin symmetry

We discuss weakly bound states of a few-fermion system having spin-isospin symmetry. This corresponds to the nuclear physics case in which the singlet, $a_0$, and triplet, $a_1$, $n-p$ scattering lengths are large with respect to the range of the nuclear interaction. The ratio of the two is about $a_0/a_1\approx-4.31$. This value defines a plane in which $a_0$ and $a_1$ can be varied up to the unitary limit, $1/a_0=0$ and $1/a_1=0$, maintaining its ratio fixed. Using a spin dependant potential model we estimate the three-nucleon binding energy along that plane. This analysis can be considered an extension of the Efimov plot for three bosons to the case of three $1/2$-spin-isospin fermions.

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arXiv2014

$N$-boson spectrum from a Discrete Scale Invariance

We present the analysis of the $N$-boson spectrum computed using a soft two-body potential the strength of which has been varied in order to cover an extended range of positive and negative values of the two-body scattering length $a$ close to the unitary limit. The spectrum shows a tree structure of two states, one shallow and one deep, attached to the ground-state of the system with one less particle. It is governed by an unique universal function, $Δ(ξ)$, already known in the case of three bosons. In the three-particle system the angle $ξ$, determined by the ratio of the two- and three-body binding energies $E_3/E_2=\tan^2ξ$, characterizes the Discrete Scale Invariance of the system. Extending the definition of the angle to the $N$-body system as $E_N/E_2=\tan^2ξ$, we study the $N$-boson spectrum in terms of this variable. The analysis of the results, obtained for up to $N=16$ bosons, allows us to extract a general formula for the energy levels of the system close to the unitary limit. Interestingly, a linear dependence of the universal function as a function of $N$ is observed at fixed values of $a$. We show that the finite-range nature of the calculations results in the range corrections that generate a shift of the linear relation between the scattering length $a$ and a particular form of the universal function. We also comment on the limits of applicability of the universal relations.

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arXiv2014

Efimov spectrum in bosonic systems with increasing number of particles

It is well-known that three-boson systems show the Efimov effect when the two-body scattering length $a$ is large with respect to the range of the two-body interaction. This effect is a manifestation of a discrete scaling invariance (DSI). In this work we study DSI in the $N$-body system by analysing the spectrum of $N$ identical bosons obtained with a pairwise gaussian interaction close to the unitary limit. We consider different universal ratios such as $E_N^0/E_3^0$ and $E_N^1/E_N^0$, with $E_N^i$ being the energy of the ground ($i=0$) and first-excited ($i=1$) state of the system, for $N\le16$. We discuss the extension of the Efimov radial law, derived by Efimov for $N=3$, to general $N$.

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arXiv2014

Universality and scaling in the $N$-body sector of Efimov physics

Universal behaviour has been found inside the window of Efimov physics for systems with $N=4,5,6$ particles. Efimov physics refers to the emergence of a number of three-body states in systems of identical bosons interacting {\it via} a short-range interaction becoming infinite at the verge of binding two particles. These Efimov states display a discrete scale invariance symmetry, with the scaling factor independent of the microscopic interaction. Their energies in the limit of zero-range interaction can be parametrized, as a function of the scattering length, by a universal function. We have found, using a particular form of finite-range scaling, that the same universal function can be used to parametrize the energies of $N\le6$ systems inside the Efimov-physics window. Moreover, we show that the same finite-scale analysis reconciles experimental measurements of three-body binding energies with the universal theory.

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arXiv2013

Recombination rates from potential models close to the unitary limit

We investigate universal behavior in the recombination rate of three bosons close to threshold. Using the He-He system as a reference, we solve the three-body Schrödinger equation above the dimer threshold for different potentials having large values of the two-body scattering length $a$. To this aim we use the hyperspherical adiabatic expansion and we extract the $S$-matrix through the integral relations recently derived. The results are compared to the universal form, $α\approx 67.1\sin^2[s_0\ln(κ_*a)+γ]$, for different values of $a$ and selected values of the three-body parameter $κ_*$. A good agreement with the universal formula is obtained after introducing a particular type of finite-range corrections, which have been recently proposed by two of the authors in Ref.[1]. Furthermore, we analyze the validity of the above formula in the description of a very different system: neutron-neutron-proton recombination. Our analysis confirms the universal character of the process in systems of very different scales having a large two-body scattering length.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2013

Universal nature and finite-range corrections in elastic atom-dimer scattering below the dimer breakup threshold

We investigate universal behavior in elastic atom-dimer scattering below the dimer breakup threshold calculating the atom-dimer effective-range function $ak\cotδ$. Using the He-He system as a reference, we solve the Schrödinger equation for a family of potentials having different values of the two-body scattering length $a$ and we compare our results to the universal zero-range form deduced by Efimov, $ak\cotδ=c_1(ka)+c_2(ka)\cot[s_0\ln(κ_*a)+ϕ(ka)]$, for selected values of the three-body parameter $κ_*$. Using the parametrization of the universal functions $c_1,c_2,ϕ$ given in the literature, a good agreement with the universal formula is obtained after introducing a particular type of finite-range corrections. Furthermore, we show that the same parametrization describes a very different system: nucleon-deuteron scattering below the deuteron breakup threshold. Our analysis confirms the universal character of the process, and relates the pole energy in the effective-range function of nucleon-deuteron scattering to the three-body parameter $κ_*$.

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