Abstract:

We present a Quantum Monte Carlo approach to the computation of properties of the ground state of a many-body system featuring Spin Orbit Coupling (SOC). We brie y describe how the basic Diusion Monte Carlo (DMC) method must be modied in order to describe SOC systems. For the specic case of Raman SOC, which is of experimental relevance, we show that the increase of inter-atomic correlations signicantly modies the phase diagram of the system with respect to mean eld calculations. Specically, the region of a stripe phase with super uid properties is enhanced. Within the framework of the Bogoliubov-de Gennes theory, we study the role of quantum uctuations in the stabilization of a Raman SOC stripe system which is unstable at the mean eld level due to the presence of attractive inter-spin interactions. We report that quantum uctuations indeed stabilize the system, leading to either a gas or a liquid as a function of the parameters of the Hamiltonian. We also show that the nite, stabilized system admits droplet-like solutions which feature internal structure, thus mixing solid-like and liquid-like properties. Finally, we brie y comment on dipole-dipole scattering without SOC, and show two examples where the computation of the s-wave scattering length is relevant to link theoretical and experimental results.