Searching for Efimov states in triatomic systems: The case of $\rm LiHe_2$

Author: Baccarelli I.   Delgado-Barrio G.   Gianturco F. A.   Gonzalez-Lezana T.   Miret-Artés S.   Villarreal P.  

Publisher: Edp Sciences

E-ISSN: 1286-4854|50|5|567-573

ISSN: 0295-5075

Source: EPL (EUROPHYSICS LETTERS), Vol.50, Iss.5, 2010-03, pp. : 567-573

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Abstract

The possible presence of Efimov-type states in isotopic variants of triatomic molecules composed of one Liand two boson He atoms is investigated. Firstly, through the study oftwo-body interactions in the frame of the effective range theory,it is shown that, at least with the present choice of dimerpotentials, the system containing $\rm {}^7Li$ unlikely presents any Efimov state, while the $\rm {}^6Li$ isotopic variant would be a better candidate in this regard.Then,triatomic bound states are searched through variational calculations in termsof pair inter-atomic distances and distributed Gaussian functions (DGF).The calculations were performed at several values of a parameter λcontrolling the strength of the potential. Each system presents two boundlevels at the “physical” situation $\lambda=1$. By increasing lambda, theexcited levels become “ghost” states as their energies areabove the helium dimer energyand present, therefore, an Efimov character.Hence, we conclude that three-body (3B) predictions coming only fromtwo-body (2B) calculations do not have, at least for the systems studied here, any great relevance. Such predictions are notin fact fulfilled for $\rm LiHe_2$, as shown by the greatly reduced relevance of isotopic effects in our actual 3B calculations.