The hierarchy of excitation lifetimes in two-dimensional Fermi gases
Momentum-conserving quasiparticle collisions in two-dimensional Fermi gases give rise to a large family of exceptionally long-lived excitation modes. The lifetimes of these modes exceed by a factor (T{sub F}∕T){sup 2}≫1 the conventional Landau Fermi-liquid lifetimes τ∼T{sub F}∕T{sup 2}. The long-lived modes have a distinct angular structure, taking the form of cosmθ and sinmθ with odd m values for a circular Fermi surface, with relaxation rate dependence on m of the form m{sup 4}logm, valid at not-too-large m. In contrast, the even-m harmonics feature conventional lifetimes with a weak m dependence. The long-time dynamics, governed by these modes, occurs at “non-Fermi-liquid” timescales, taking values as large as τ∼T{sub F}{sup 3}∕T{sup 4}. The hierarchy of timescales, short and long, leads to unusual long-time memory effects, defining an intriguing transport regime that lies between the conventional ballistic and hydrodynamic regimes.