Ions,bubbles, and vortices at the superfluid λ-transition

A vortex-ring theory of the superfluid -transition is reviewed, and new results are presented for the vortex density and for the superfluid density of helium in confined geometries. Possible experiments using ion probes to detect the thermally excited vortices are discussed. It appears that the usual helium ions are not suitable for this purpose, and that larger ion complexes such as multielectron bubbles will need to be employed. An experiment to stably trap multielectron bubbles with acoustic standing waves is outlined.     

Vorticity generated near a field emitter in superfluid helium

We estimate the density of vorticity near a field emitter in superfluid helium, and discuss the implications for experiments which employ field emission characteristics to detect the appearance of a single nearly vortex in a rotating vessel.     

A model for the λ-transition of helium

Summary Guided by the analogy to the Bose-Einstein condensation of the ideal Bose gas (IBG) we propose a new model for the λ-transition of liquid helium. Deviating from the IBG our model uses phase-ordered and localized single-particle functions. This means that finite groups of particles are assumed to be phase-locked. These phase correlations can be related to the singularity at the transition point and to the occurrence of the superfluid density. The model leads to the following results: 1) a possible explanation of the logarithmic singularity of the specific heat, 2) a characteristic functional form for the superfluid density which yield excellent fits to the experimental data, 3) a quantitative prediction of a small nonzero entropy content of the superfluid component.     

~4He超流密度分布研究

一种密度泛函理论用来研究当4He超流体流速u超过朗道临界流速vc时的不稳定性。发现有稳定的周期性密度波出现,其振幅正比于(u-vc)1/2,其波矢与旋子波矢一致。同时对纳米管道内氦流体进行了计算。     

Chaotic Quantum Vortices in He II: Thermodynamic Equilibrium and Turbulence

The use of superfluid helium as a refrigerant in cryogenic systems is governed by the presence of a chaotic tangle of quantum filaments in the superfluid component of helium. Therefore, to describe any hydrodynamic phenomena (in particular, heat transfer) in quantumliquids containing vortex tangles, it is necessary to have information on their structure and statistics. The paper discusses two possible statistical configurations of chaotic vortices: the thermodynamic equilibrium and the highly nonequilibrium turbulent state, as well as the transition between them. Basing on the Langevin approach, we discuss the mechanism of establishment of thermodynamic equilibrium for a chaotic set of quantum vortex filaments. The corresponding Fokker–Planck equation for the probability density functional has a solution in the form of the Gibbs distribution. Basing on the above analysis, we discuss the possible causes and mechanisms of violation of thermodynamic equilibrium and transition to the turbulent regime.     

HeII的粘度理论分析与计算

在一般的分析与计算中,超流氦的粘度往往成为一个被忽视甚至被省略的一个物理量。但是在某些低温系统中,需要完成超流氦长距离输送,粘度成为确定其流动阻力损失的一个重要物理量。目前各具特色的理论和计算关系式很多,但是迄今为止,还没有任何一种理论体系或计算关系式可以适用于所有的物质或所有的温度和压力范围,因此如何应用和借鉴现有的粘度理论或关系式以及实验结果,实现对HeII这种特殊流体粘度的分析和计算是一项十分重要的工作。     

Electron impact ionization studies with the amino acid valine in the gas phase and (hydrated) in helium droplets

Here we report electron impact ionization studies with the amino acid valine in different environments, i.e., (i) isolated in the gas phase, (ii) embedded in superfluid helium droplets and (iii) co-embedded with water in superfluid helium droplets. Mass spectra are presented for all three environments for which changes in the fragmentation pattern of valine upon ionization are investigated. Comparison is made with previous electron impact ionization and photoionization studies with valine in the gas phase which confirms the fragile nature of this amino acid. Embedding valine in cold superfluid helium droplets leads to the formation of highly abundant protonated valine clusters. Co-embedding water with valine in helium droplets reduces fragmentation of valine.     

XVI. Superfluidity and the two dimensional XY model

Recent results for the two dimensional XY model are reviewed, with an emphasis on a discrete gauge symmetry implicit in this picture of magnetism. An exact relationship between the critical exponent η in this model and the superfluid density in a helium film should allow a precise experimental check of competing theoretical predictions.     

Effect of disorder on the critical temperature of a dilute hard-sphere Gas

We have performed path integral Monte Carlo calculations to determine the effect of quenched disorder on the superfluid density of a dilute 3D hard-sphere gas. The disorder was introduced by locating hard cylinders randomly inside the simulation cell. Our results indicate that the disorder does not strongly affect the superfluid critical temperature. There is a reduction of rho(s)/rho with increasing disorder and with excluded volume for similar disorders and a possible change of universality class (as evidenced by the correlation length exponent) at high disorder. Comparison to experiments of helium in Vycor is made.     

Phonon-roton modes and localized Bose-Einstein condensation in liquid helium under pressure in nanoporous media

We show, using inelastic neutron scattering, that liquid helium in porous media, two gelsils and MCM-41, supports a phonon-roton mode up to a pressure of 36-37 bars only. Modes having the highest energy ("maxons") broaden and become unobservable at the lowest pressures (p approximately 26 bars) while rotons survive to the highest pressure. By comparing with the superfluid density observed by Yamamoto and co-workers in gelsil, we propose that there is a Bose glass phase containing islands of BEC surrounding the superfluid phase.     

Observation of a superfluid phase in solid helium

Evidence of a superfluid liquid phase present in polycrystalline helium at a temperature of 0.2 K and a pressure of 51 bar has been obtained by means of inelastic neutron scattering. The superfluid component is absent at a temperature of 0.6 K and the same pressure. Thus, a “solid helium-superfluid helium” phase transition has been discovered. The sample of solid helium in a porous medium (silica aerogel) has been prepared with the use of a capillary blocking technique. The shape of the structure factor of the superfluid phase indicates the presence of clusters or the effects of a restricted geometry. The results may be used to explain the nonclassical rotational inertia phenomenon in solid helium (often referred to as supersolidity, Nature, 2004).     

Helium impurity nanocluster gels in superfluid helium

Rapid cooling of a helium impurity gas mixture to the superfluid helium temperatures allows us to prepare an impurity-helium condensate with jelly-like structure (impurity gel) in superfluid He-II. It is clear that the properties of these gels should be substantially different from those of a bulk impurity substance, constituting a new class of soft matter — quantum gel, where superfluid He-II filling the nanopores between the randomly connected impurity nanoclusters serves as the dispersion medium of the gel.     

Optical studies of atoms and ions in superfluid helium using a ccd-camera system

The spectroscopic study ions and atoms immersed into liquid helium can contribute to the understanding of the structure of pointlike defects in helium and their interaction with the superfluid phase as well. Ions and atoms serve as microprobes in the form of so calledbubble orsnowball type defects in the quantum fluid. The optical emission of these structures is recorded. From the optical spectra of previous experiments the influence of the surrounding helium on the electronic configuration of the impurity atoms or ions was examined. In this experiment the light emitted from the defect atoms is observed by a camera. The pictures obtained yield information about the distribution and the motion of the defect particles in the superfluid. As an example the fluorescence light resulting from the recombination of magnesium, barium and thallium ions with excess electrons in superfluid helium was recorded.     

Putting in operation a full-scale ultracold-neutron source model with superfluid helium

A project of the source of ultracold neutrons for the WWR-M reactor based on superfluid helium for ultracold-neutron production has been developed. The full-scale source model, including all required cryogenic and vacuum equipment, the cryostat, and the ultracold-neutron source model has been created. The superfluid helium temperature T = 1.08 K without a heat load and T = 1.371 K with a heat load on the simulator of P = 60 W has been achieved in experiments at a technological complex of the ultracold-neutron source. The result proves the feasibility of implementing the ultracold-neutron source at the WWR-M reactor and the possibility of applying superfluid helium in nuclear engineering.

     

Coexistence of superfluid and solid helium in aerogel

The results of recent neutron scattering studies of solid helium in silica aerogel are discussed. Previously I.V. Kalinin et al., Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 87 (1), 743 (2008) [JETP Lett. 87 (1), 645 (2008)], we detected the existence of a superfluid phase in solid helium at a temperature below 0.6 K and a pressure of 51 bar, although, according to the phase diagram, helium should be in the solid state under these conditions. This work is a continuation of the above studies whose main goal was to examine the detected phenomenon and to establish basic parameters of the existence of a superfluid phase. We have determined the temperature of the superfluid transition from solid to superfluid helium, T _C = 1.3 K, by analyzing experimental data. The superfluid phase excitation parameters (lifetime, intensity, and energy) have a temperature dependence similar to that of bulk helium. The superfluid phase coexists with the solid phase in the entire measured temperature range from T = 0.05 K to T _C and is a nonequilibrium one and disappears at T _C.     

Spatial structure of a vortex in low density neutron matter

We study in a fully self-consistent approach the structure of a vortex in low density superfluid neutron matter. We determine that the matter density profile of a vortex shows a significant depletion in the region of the core, a feature never reported for a vortex state in a Fermi superfluid.     

Measurement of a long electronic spin relaxation time of cesium atoms in superfluid helium

The longitudinal electronic spin relaxation time of Cs atoms optically polarized in superfluid helium (He II, 1.5 K) has been measured with special care to cope with a serious decrease in the number of Cs atoms in the observation region. This decrease, mainly caused by helium convection in introducing the atoms into He II by laser sputtering, was significantly reduced using a new atom implantation method. Combined with a careful correction for the number of atoms, we have determined the relaxation time to be 2.24(19) s or longer, roughly twice as long as that in solid He.     

Sublevel spectroscopy of alkali atoms in superfluid helium

We report the results of optical pumping and optical detection of magnetic resonance of alkali atoms (Cs and Rb) in superfluid helium. The magnetic resonances between the ground-state Zeeman sublevels and hyperfine levels are observed through monitoring theD ₁ fluorescence by means of the optical-rf double resonance technique. Although the ground stateg values in superfluid helium are the same as in vacuum within the experimental error, the hyperfine constant of the ground state of the Cs atom in superfluid helium is found to be slightly larger than in vacuum. Coherent transient spectroscopy is also performed.     

Superfluid helium interferometry: an introduction

This article describes, at an introductory level, how superfluids can be used to measure absolute rotations. To make it self-contained to some degree, I first introduce briefly the two-fluid model for superfluid helium and the concept of superfluid order parameter. These ideas, which were put forward for the superfluid heliums, are now widely used, in particular for the BEC gases which are the main topic of this volume. They are presented in the somewhat different perspective of helium physics. The second part will deal with the Josephson effects, the real engine behind superfluid interferometry. These effects were predicted in the early sixties for superconductors and were promptly observed in the laboratory. It was quickly realised that they would also exist in superfluids but the search took longer and conclusive experiments were performed in the eighties only in the B-phase of superfluid ³He. How these experiments are done, and how they can be used to measure the rotation of the Earth by superfluid interferometry is surveyed in the last two sections.     

Generalized Landau superfluidity criterion

An analysis of experimental data shows that, in addition to phonon-roton excitations in superfluid helium, there necessarily exist at least one branch of elementary excitations whose energy spectrum strongly depends on temperature. On this basis, the Landau superfluidity criterion is generalized for several branches of elementary excitations, taking into account that the critical velocity should vanish during the phase transition of liquid helium from the superfluid state to the normal state.