Quantum Monte Carlo study of the three-dimensional attractive Hubbard model

We study the three-dimensional (3D) attractive Hubbard model by means of the determinant quantum Monte Carlo method. This model is a prototype for the description of the smooth crossover between BCS superconductivity and Bose-Einstein condensation. By detailed finite-size scaling we extract the finite-temperature phase diagram of the model. In particular, we interpret the observed behavior according to a scenario of two fundamental temperature scales; T^* associated with Cooper pair formation and T_c with condensation (giving rise to long-range superconducting order). Our results also indicate the presence of a recently conjectured phase transition hidden by the superconducting state. A comparison with the 2D case is briefly discussed, given its relevance for the physics of high-T_c cuprate superconductors.