We derive a path-integral description of the vortex state of a fermionic superfluid in the crossover region between the molecular condensate (BEC) regime and the Cooper pairing (BCS) regime. This path-integral formalism, supplemented by a suitable choice for the saddle point value of the pairing field in the presence of a vortex, offers a unified description that encompasses both the BEC and BCS limits. The vortex core size is studied as a function of the tunable interaction strength between the fermionic atoms. We find that in the BEC regime, the core size is determined by the molecular healing length, whereas in the BCS regime, the core size is proportional only to the Fermi wavelength. The observation of such quantized vortices in dilute Fermi gases would provide an unambiguous proof of the realization of superfluidity in these gases.

• Received 11 October 2004

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.71.033631