Strongly interacting trapped one-dimensional quantum gases: Exact solution

Abstract

Understanding the effect of correlations in interacting many-body systems is one of the main challenges in quantum mechanics. While the general problem can only be addressed by approximate methods and numerical simulations, in some limiting cases, it is amenable to exact solutions. This Review collects the predictions coming from a family of exact solutions which allows us to obtain the many-body wavefunction of strongly correlated quantum fluids confined by a tight waveguide and subjected to any form of longitudinal confinement. It directly describes the experiments with trapped ultracold atoms where the strongly correlated regime in one dimension has been achieved. The exact solution applies to bosons, fermions, and mixtures. It allows us to obtain experimental observables such as the density profiles and momentum distribution at all momentum scales, beyond the Luttinger liquid approach. It also predicts the exact quantum dynamics at all the times, including the small oscillation regime yielding the collective modes of the system and the large quench regime where the system parameters are changed considerably. The solution can be extended to describe finite-temperature conditions, spin, and magnetization effects. The Review illustrates the idea of the solution, presents the key theoretical achievements, and the main experiments on strongly correlated one-dimensional quantum gases.