Density and spin response functions in ultracold fermionic atom gases

We propose a new method of detecting the onset of superfluidity in a two-component ultracold fermionic gas of atoms governed by an attractive short-range interaction. By studying the two-body correlation functions we find that a measurement of the momentum distribution of the density and spin-response functions allows one to access separately the normal and anomalous densities. The change in sign at low momentum transfer of the normal-ordered part of the density response function signals the transition between a BEC and a BCS regime, characterized by small and large pairs, respectively. This change in sign of the density response function represents an unambiguous signature of the BEC-to-BCS crossover. Spin rotational symmetry breaking due to the magnetic field, if observed, can be used to validate the one-channel model.     

Solitonic phase in manganites

Orbital order present in several transition metal compounds could give rise to topological defects. Here we argue that the topological defects in orbital ordered half doped manganites are orbital solitons that carry a charge of +/-e/2. When extra charge is added to the system an array of solitons is formed and an incommensurate solitonic phase occurs. The striking experimental asymmetry in the phase diagram as electrons or holes are added to half doped manganites is explained by the energy difference between positive and negative charged solitons. The presence of nanoscale inhomogeneities in manganites is naturally explained by the existence of solitonic phases.     

Weak charge-lattice coupling requires reinterpretation of stripes of charge order in La1-xCaxMnO3

Modulations in manganites attributed to stripes of charge/orbital/spin order are thought to result from strong electron-lattice interactions that lock the superlattice and parent lattice periodicities. Surprisingly in La1-xCaxMnO3 (x>0.5,90 K), convergent beam (3.6 nm spot) electron diffraction patterns rule out charge stacking faults and indicate a superlattice with uniform periodicity. Moreover, large area electron diffraction peaks are sharper than simulations with stacking faults. Since the electron-lattice coupling does not lock the two periodicities (to yield stripes) it may be too weak to strongly localize charge.     

Two-photon absorption spectroscopy of iodine monochloride in the 5 eV region

Two-photon high resolution sequential spectroscopy has been used to excite iodine monochloride from X¹Σ⁺ ground state to the intermediate A³Π₁ state and thence to a final electronic state at 4.82 eV. Vibrational and rotational analyses of this state have been carried out for both isotopic species. For I³⁵Cl, T_e = 38916.0 cm^?1 ω_e = 168.99 cm^?1, ω_ex_e = 0.357 cm^?1 and B_e = 0.05685 cm^?1. The state probably has Ω = 1 in case (c) coupling approximation. It is also shown how to two-photon technique enables rotational line structure of the A ← X transition to be selectively excited for either isotopic species at a resolution of 500000, from an absorption mixture containing natural iodine monochloride plus its iodine dissociation product at equilibrium vapour pressure.     

Amplitude-mode dynamics of polariton condensates

We study the stability of collective amplitude excitations in nonequilibrium polariton condensates. These excitations correspond to renormalized upper polaritons and to the collective amplitude modes of atomic gases and superconductors. They would be present following a quantum quench or could be created directly by resonant excitation. We show that uniform amplitude excitations are unstable to the production of excitations at finite wave vectors, leading to the formation of density-modulated phases. The physical processes causing the instabilities can be understood by analogy to optical parametric oscillators and the atomic Bose supernova.