Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Quantum cavitation in superfluid Helium 4?

Journal Article · · Journal of Low Temperature Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00754588· OSTI ID:198181
; ;  [1]
  1. Universites Paris (France); and others
We have observed the nucleation of bubbles in superfluid helium-4 at negative pressure and at temperatures down to 65 mK. Cavitation is found to be a random process. Above 1 K, its probability varies with temperature in a manner consistent with classical activation by thermal fluctuations. Below 0.4 K, cavitation is still random but temperature independent, in agreement with a recent theory of quantum tunneling. We also consider another possible interpretation involving turbulence in the focal region.
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
OSTI ID:
198181
Report Number(s):
CONF-950676--
Journal Information:
Journal of Low Temperature Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Low Temperature Physics Journal Issue: 1-2 Vol. 101; ISSN JLTPAC; ISSN 0022-2291
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Study of cavitation in superfluid helium-4 at low temperatures
Journal Article · Thu Jan 31 23:00:00 EST 1991 · Journal of Low Temperature Physics; (United States) · OSTI ID:5363692

The tensile strength of helium II
Thesis/Dissertation · Mon Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1990 · OSTI ID:6911918

Acoustic streaming in superfluid helium
Journal Article · Thu Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1982 · J. Acoust. Soc. Am.; (United States) · OSTI ID:5391967