Ultradilute quasi-two-dimensional Bose-Bose liquid mixtures

Abstract

We study ultradilute $^{39}$K Bose-Bose bulk mixtures and droplets in an external harmonic potential that confines them in one spatial direction towards the two-dimensional (2D) limit. Equations of state for several confinements are obtained with quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) at $T=0$, using interaction potentials that include information on the $s$-wave scattering length $a$ and the effective range $r_{\rm eff}$. Performing the calculations using two different interaction potential models we have determined the range of confinements for which equations of state are universal in terms of $a$ and $r_{\rm eff}$. Based on the QMC equation of state, we develop a 2D QMC density functional for each confinement strength and use it together with the local density approximation to determine properties of the self-bound drops. For moderate squeezing, energies and droplet profiles obtained using the 2D QMC functional agree well with those obtained using 3D functionals, while offering a substantial reduction in computational cost, and a consistent approach in crossover to 2D. Noticeably, our results approach 2D mean-field (MF) + Lee-Huang-Yang (LHY) predictions only for the most strongly confined systems for which universality in terms of $a$ and $r_{\rm eff}$ is observed. This implies a very narrow range of confinements for which 2D LHY functionals are applicable, which has important consequences for the study of vortices.