Constrained variational calculations for many-body spin-polarized atomic deuterium

A lowest-order constrained variational (LOCV) method, with modified conditi ons of healing on the two-body Jastrow wave function, is investigated in ca lculations for the ground-state energy levels of many-body spin-polarized a tomic deuterium. Results are obtained for the down arrow Dt(1)(up arrow) do wn arrow D-2(up arrow) and down arrow D-3(up arrow) phases, corresponding t o equal occupations of one, two or three nuclear spin states. Estimates for the optimum healing conditions are obtained by comparison of LOCV results with current Monte Carlo benchmarks. The nature of the phases, i.e., quantu m gas or quantum liquid, is discussed, the energy of the down arrow D-1(up arrow) phase in our calculations always occurring above the gas-liquid inte rphase for healing conditions within a physically acceptable range.