Direct observation of the momentum distribution and renormalization factor in lithium

N Hiraoka and Y Yang and T Hagiya and A Niozu and K Matsuda and S Huotari and M Holzmann and DM Ceperley, PHYSICAL REVIEW B, 101, 165124 (2020).

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.101.165124

We have measured the momentum distribution and renormalization factor Z(kF) in liquid and solid lithium by high-resolution Compton scattering. High-resolution data over a wide momentum range exhibit a clear feature of the renormalization and a sharp drop of momentum densities at the Fermi momentum k(F). These results are compared with those computed by quantum Monte Carlo simulation performed both on a disordered crystal and a liquid exhibiting very good agreement. Asymptotic behavior of the experimental and theoretical momentum distributions are examined to estimate Z(kF). The experimentally obtained Z(kF) = 0.43(-0.01)(+0.11) for liquid Li and 0.54(-0.02)(+0.11) for solid Li are in good agreement with theoretical results of 0.54 +/- 0.01 and 0.64 +/- 0.01, respectively.

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