Observation of a Freedericksz transition in superfluid /sup 3/He-A

Journal Article · Mon Oct 06 04:00:00 EDT 1986 · Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.57.1749· OSTI ID:5214666

Hook, J R; Eastop, A D; Faraj, E; Gould, S G; Hall, H E

We have observed an instability of the uniform orbital texture of a slap of /sup 3/He-A in a perpendicular magnetic field (Freedericksz transition) in two different experiments with slap thicknesses of 105 ..mu..m and 2 mm. The theoretically predicted threshold fields for the two experiments are slightly larger than the observed values but have the same temperature dependence. Behavior characteristic of the uniform texture was obtained only when the A phase was entered by cooling from the normal phase. Very different behavior was observed if the A phase were entered by warming from the B phase.

• Research Organization: Schuster Laboratory, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
• OSTI ID: 5214666
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 57:14; ISSN PRLTA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640450* -- Fluid Physics-- Superfluidity
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
CRYSTAL-PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
DIMENSIONS
ENERGY
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
HELIUM 3
HELIUM 3 A
HELIUM ISOTOPES
INSTABILITY
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MAGNETIC FIELDS
NUCLEI
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
SLABS
STABLE ISOTOPES
SUPERFLUIDITY
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TEXTURE
THICKNESS
THRESHOLD ENERGY