Diffusion mechanism in the quantum decay of metastable [sup 3]He-[sup 4]He mixtures at low temperatures

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

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00681888· OSTI ID:6606764

Burmistrov, S N; Dubovskii, L B; Tsymbalenko, V L ^[1]

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1. Kurchatov Inst., Moscow (Russian Federation)

The authors study the quantum phase-separation kinetics of a supersaturated liquid mixture at temperatures down to absolute zero. The energy dissipation effect of diffusion is incorporated into the calculation of the nucleation rate in normal and superfluid liquid mixtures. Unlike single-component systems, diffusion is the principal process which governs both the quantum nucleation rate and supercritical droplet growth rate in mixtures near the demixing curve. The low temperature phase-separation experiments in supersaturated liquid [sup 3]He-[sup 4]He mixtures of [sup 3]He-dilute phase are analyzed and discussed. The critical degree of metastability and at the same time the critical droplet radius are shown to be temperature-independent below about 80 mK, suggesting the temperature of the thermal-to-quantum crossover to be of the same order of magnitude. The critical radius of a demixed droplet is estimated as about 20[Angstrom], being within reasonable values.

• OSTI ID: 6606764
• Journal Information: Journal of Low Temperature Physics; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Low Temperature Physics; (United States) Vol. 90:5-6; ISSN JLTPAC; ISSN 0022-2291
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

665430* -- Other Topics in Quantum Fluids & Solids-- (1992-)
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
DECAY
DIFFUSION
DISPERSIONS
DROPLETS
ENERGY LEVELS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
EXCITED STATES
GROWTH
HELIUM 3
HELIUM 4
HELIUM ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
KINETICS
LIGHT NUCLEI
METASTABLE STATES
MIXTURES
NUCLEATION
NUCLEI
PARTICLE SIZE
PARTICLES
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
SATURATION
SIZE
STABLE ISOTOPES
SUPERSATURATION