Monday, November 5, 2012

1211.0350 (T. R. Prisk et al.)

Phases of Superfluid Helium in Smooth Cylindrical Pores    [PDF]

T. R. Prisk, N. C. Das, S. O. Diallo, G. Ehlers, A. A. Podlesnyak, N. Wada, S. Inagaki, P. E. Sokol
Two different microscopic phases have been observed via inelastic neutron scattering for superfluid helium confined within highly monodisperse, smooth, and unidimensional silica pores. When the helium forms a thin film on the pore walls, it supports a dramatically modified phonon-roton spectrum as well as a 2D surface roton. The energies of these modified phonon-roton modes are consistent with predictions for a dilute, low-density film, while the energy of the 2D surface roton corresponds to that of a dense film. The relatively smooth and weak surface potential of the substrate permits the formation of a film with large dilute regions and only small compressed regions. When the pores are saturated with liquid, the modified phonon-roton spectrum disappears, and bulk-like modes coexist with the 2D surface roton. Presumably, bulk-like liquid occupies the core volume of the pores and high density liquid layers are present at the liquid-solid interface. These findings clearly connect the nature of the excitations to the local density of the liquid.
View original: http://arxiv.org/abs/1211.0350

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