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Two particles that are just shy of binding may develop an infinite number of shallow bound states when a third particle is added. This counter intuitive quantum mechanical result was first predicted by V. Efimov for identical bosons interacting with a short-range pair-wise potential. The so-called Efimov effect persists even for non-identical particles, provided at least two of the three bonds are almost bound. The Efimov effect has recently been verified experimentally using ultra-cold atoms. In this article, we explain the origin of this effect using only elementary quantum mechanics and summarize the experimental evidence for the Efimov effect. A new, simple derivation for the number of Efimov states is given in the Appendix.

World University root node

Physics

(SoNS) School of Natural Sciences

American Journal of Physics

An elementary exposition of the Efimov effect

We consider the possibility that the vacuum energy density of the MSSM (Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model) flat direction condensate involving the Higgses H1 and H2 is responsible for inflation. We also discuss how the finely tuned Higgs potential at high vacuum expectation values can realize cosmologically flat direction along which it can generate the observed density perturbations and after the end of inflation - the coherent oscillations of the Higgses reheat the universe with all the observed degrees of freedom, without causing any problem for the electroweak phase transition. {\textcopyright} 2011 IOP Publishing Ltd and SISSA.