Universal few-body physics with ultracold atoms

Few-body systems with resonantly enhanced two-body interactions display universal properties in the sense that they are independent of the details of the short-range interaction potential. The central paradigm in the three-body domain, predicted in the early 1970s by V. Efimov, is associated with the infinite ladder of weakly bound states with discrete scaling invariance. This curious prediction avoided experimental verification in different systems for decades, and only recently and exclusively surrendered to ultracold atoms. After giving a general introduction into Efimov scenario, I will describe the remarkable progress in its experimental investigation with the emphasize to our studies performed with ultracold lithim gas