Few interacting fermions in a one-dimensional harmonic trap

Abstract

We study spin-1/2 fermions, interacting via a two-body contact potential, in a one-dimensional harmonic trap. Applying exact diagonalization, we investigate their behavior at finite interaction strength and discuss the role of the ground-state degeneracy which occurs for sufficiently strong repulsive interaction. Even low temperature or a completely depolarizing channel may then dramatically influence the system's behavior. We calculate level occupation numbers as signatures of thermalization, and we discuss the mechanisms to break the degeneracy.