Oscillations in the expansion of solid He-4 into vacuum

Year: 2005

Authors: Benedek G., Dalfovo F., Grisenti R.E., Kaesz M., Toennies J.P.

Autors Affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut fuer Stroemungsforschung,Goettingen, Germany;
Institut fuer Kernphysik der J. W. Goethe Universitaet, Frankfurt/Main, Germany;
Dipartimento di Scienza dei Materiali and INFM, Universita’ di Milano-Bicocca;
Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica and INFM, Universita’ Cattolica, Brescia;
INFM BEC, Trento

Abstract: The particle flux through a micron-sized orifice into vacuum from a source chamber filled with solid He-4 exhibits a striking sequence of periodic bursts. The period increases (decreases) with pressure (temperature), vanishing at the melting point for temperatures above the upper lambda point at 1.76 K. The oscillations are attributed to a periodic collapse of the solid induced by the accumulation of excess vacancies injected at the orifice and the period provides information on vacancy diffusivity. Dramatic deviations from this behavior below 1.76 K suggest important modifications in the flow properties of solid He-4 induced by the excess vacancies.

Journal/Review: PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS

Volume: 95 (9)      Pages from: 095301-1  to: 095301-4

KeyWords: solid 4He
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.095301

Citations: 8
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