Multicomponent one-dimensional quantum droplets across the mean-field stability regime

Abstract: The Lee-Huang-Yang (LHY) energy correction at the edge of the mean-field stability regime is known to give rise to beyond mean-field structures in a wide variety of systems. In this work, we analytically derive the LHY energy for two-, three- and four-component one-dimensional bosonic short-range interacting mixtures across the mean-field stability regime. For varying intercomponent attraction in the two-component setting, quantitative deviations from the original LHY treatment emerge being imprinted in the droplet saturation density and width. On the other hand, for repulsive interactions an unseen early onset of phase-separation occurs for both homonuclear and heteronuclear mixtures. Closed LHY expressions for the fully-symmetric three- and four-component mixtures, as well as for mixtures comprised of two identical components coupled to a third independent component are provided and found to host a plethora of mixed droplet states. Our results are expected to inspire future investigations in multicomponent systems for unveiling exotic self-bound states of matter and unravel their nonequilibrium quantum dynamics.