We consider the problem of obtaining the scattering length for a fermion colliding with a dimer, formed from a fermion identical to the incident one and another different fermion. This is done in the universal regime where the range of interactions is short enough that the scattering length $a$ for nonidentical fermions is the only relevant quantity. This is the generalization to fermions with different masses of the problem solved long ago by Skorniakov and Ter-Martirosian for particles with equal masses. We solve this problem analytically in the two limiting cases where the mass of the solitary fermion is very large or very small compared to the mass of the two other identical fermions. This is done for both the value of the scattering length and the function entering the Skorniakov–Ter-Martirosian integral equation, for which simple explicit expressions are obtained.

• Received 23 July 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.82.062706