Universal Spin Transport and Quantum Bounds for Unitary Fermions

Abstract

We review recent advances in experimental and theoretical understanding of spin transport in strongly interacting Fermi gases. The central new phenomenon is the observation of a lower bound on the (bare) spin diffusivity in the strongly interacting regime. Transport bounds are of broad interest for the condensed matter community, with a conceptual similarity to observed bounds in shear viscosity and charge conductivity. We discuss the formalism of spin hydrodynamics, how dynamics are parameterized by transport coefficients, the effect of confinement, the role of scale invariance, the quasi-particle picture, and quantum critical transport. We conclude by highlighting open questions, such as precise theoretical bounds, relevance to other phases of matter, and extensions to lattice systems.