Three-body recombination of cold fermionic atoms

Recombination of identical, spin-polarized fermions in cold three-body collisions is investigated. We parametrize the mechanisms for recombination in terms of the 'scattering volume' V-p and another length scale r(0). Model two-body interactions were used within the framework of the adiabatic hyperspherical representation. We examine the recombination rate K-3 as a function of the collision energy E for various values of V-p. Not only do we consider the dominant J(Pi) = 1(+) case, but also the next-leading order contributions from J(Pi) = 1(-) and 3(-). We discuss the behaviour near a two-body resonance and the expected universality of fermionic recombination. Comparisons with boson recombination are considered in detail.