Pairing and Molecule Formation in Cold Atomic Bose and Fermi Gases

激光冷却和捕获原子的实验突破，以及随后玻色-爱因斯坦凝聚的实现，首次为人们提供了对微开尔文温度以下气体的量子力学性质的洞察。我们提出的研究的总体目标是发展对玻色或费米原子这种冷组装中配对的理解，包括分子的形成和在奇异状态下的制备。这涉及从Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer(BCS)对到双原子分子的玻色-爱因斯坦凝聚的交叉动力学的定量描述，分子气体寿命的优化，以及产生冷三原子束缚态的方案的发展。

The experimental breakthrough in laser cooling and trapping of atoms and the subsequent achievement of Bose-Einstein condensation have provided, for the first time, insight into the quantum mechanical nature of gases below the microkelvin temperature scale. The overall aim of our proposed research is the development of an understanding of pairing in such cold assemblies of Bose or Fermi atoms, including the formation of molecules and their preparation in exotic states. This involves quantitative descriptions of the dynamics of the cross-over from Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) pairing to Bose-Einstein condensation of diatomic molecules, the optimisation of the lifetimes of molecular gases, as well as the development of schemes for the production of cold three-atom bound states.