Loss of Conformality in Efimov Physics

Abstract

The loss of conformal invariance in Efimov physics is due to the merger and disappearance of an infrared and an ultraviolet fixed point of a three-body renormalization group flow as the spatial dimension $d$ is varied. In the case of identical bosons at unitarity, it is known that there are two critical dimensions $d_{\rm 1}=2.30$ and $d_{\rm 2}=3.76$ at which there is loss of conformality. For $d<d_{\rm 1}$ and $d>d_{\rm 2}$, the beta function of the three-body coupling has real roots which correspond to infrared and ultraviolet fixed points. The fixed points merge and disappear into the complex plane at the critical dimensions $d_1$ and $d_2$. For $d_{\rm 1}<d<d_{\rm 2}$, the beta function has complex roots and the renormalization group flow for the three-body coupling constant is a limit cycle.