Novel way of recasting the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer gap equations
Phys. Rev. C 114, 024340 – Published 27 August, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/bbff-kxpy
Abstract
The gap equations lie at the core of the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) theory, a standard tool in the description of superfluidity. As a set of non-inear integral equations, the gap equations' inherent difficulties oftentimes hinder even the crudest descriptions of superfluid states. Hard-core potentials, high-density superfluids, and coupled-channel pairing are all reasons that have historically required one to provide special treatment to the gap equations to get a solution. In this paper we present a new method for solving the gap equations that holds the promise of being an efficient universal solver that requires the minimum amount of a priori knowledge of the targeted solutions. With theoretical evidence of exotic nuclear superfluidity posing new questions to our understanding of this fundamental property of nuclear systems, the presented method can be a valuable tool when exploring new pairing states, finite-temperature properties, or the development of sophisticated descriptions of nuclear superfludity.
