Quantum nucleation of solids

Journal Article · Fri Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1983 · J. Low Temp. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00681261· OSTI ID:5576669

Uwaha, M

Quantum nucleation of solid /sup 4/He from superfluid /sup 4/He is discussed on the basis of a simple isotropic model. The nucleation rate is evaluated in the semiclassical WKB approximation developed earlier by Lifshitz and Kagan. The rate very strongly depends on the magnitude of overpressurization. The effect of a substrate that is characterized by a surface tension is examined; since the substrate reduces the liquid kinetic energy, the nucleation rate is substantially increased when the contact angle is small. The same method is applied to the two-dimensional nucleation of a new atomic layer on a singular face, with the result that the rate is very small under usual conditions.

• Research Organization: Department of Physics and Materials Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76ER01198
• OSTI ID: 5576669
• Journal Information: J. Low Temp. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Low Temp. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 52:1; ISSN JLTPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640450* -- Fluid Physics-- Superfluidity
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ENERGY
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FLUIDS
HELIUM 4
HELIUM II
HELIUM ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
KINETIC ENERGY
LIGHT NUCLEI
NUCLEATION
NUCLEI
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
QUANTUM FLUIDS
STABLE ISOTOPES
SUBSTRATES
SURFACE PROPERTIES
SURFACE TENSION
WKB APPROXIMATION