Transverse waves in superfluid [sup 3]He-B

Journal Article · Thu Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Journal of Low Temperature Physics; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00132087· OSTI ID:6433614

Moores, G F ^[1]; Sauls, J A ^[2]

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1. Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States)
2. Nordita, Copenhagen (Denmark)

The theory of collisionless transverse current waves in bulk superfluid [sup 3]He-B is examined, including the coupling to the order parameter collective modes. At low frequencies, [omega] [much lt] [Delta](T), the order parameter modes do not contribute to the restoring force for a transverse current, and the quasiparticle contribution drops rapidly as the gap in the spectrum develops. Thus, low-frequency transverse sound becomes overdamped at temperatures near [Tc]. However, at low temperatures (T[approx lt]0.3[Tc]) the off-resonant coupling to the J=2[sup [minus]], M=[plus minus]1 modes stabilizes a propagating transverse current mode, with a large phase velocity and low damping for frequencies above a critical frequency that is approximately that of the J=2[sup [minus]] mode. The similarities and differences of longitudinal and transverse sound in the superfluid phases is also discussed. For example, in zero field, right- and left-circularly polarized waves are degenerate. A magnetic field, with H [parallel] [rvec q], lifts this degeneracy, giving rise to the analog of circular dichroism and birefringence of electromagnetic waves. Thus, transverse waves may be more easily detected in the B-phase than in normal [sup 3]He.

• OSTI ID: 6433614
• Journal Information: Journal of Low Temperature Physics; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Low Temperature Physics; (United States) Vol. 91:1-2; ISSN JLTPAC; ISSN 0022-2291
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

665420* -- Superfluidity-- (1992-)
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
COLLECTIVE EXCITATIONS
CRITICAL TEMPERATURE
DAMPING
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
EXCITATION
HELIUM 3
HELIUM 3 B
HELIUM ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MAGNETIC FIELDS
NUCLEI
ORDER PARAMETERS
PHASE VELOCITY
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POLARIZATION
QUASI PARTICLES
SOUND WAVES
STABLE ISOTOPES
SUPERFLUIDITY
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TRANSITION TEMPERATURE
VELOCITY
WAVE PROPAGATION