[sup 3]He film flow on a round rim beaker

Journal Article · Wed Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · Journal of Low Temperature Physics; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00754714· OSTI ID:6824103

Steel, S C ^[1]; Harrison, J P ^[2]; Zawadzki, P; Sachrajda, A ^[3]

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1. Leiden Univ. (Netherlands)
2. Queens Univ., Ontario (Canada)
3. Institute for Microstructural Physics, Ontario (Canada)

The superfluid properties of thin (100-150 nm) of [sup 3]He were investigated by measuring the rate at which a beaker of liquid [sup 3]He emptied itself through the adsorbed film, with the film thickness [sigma] decreasing as the level dropped. A beaker rim with a semicircular cross-section was used to provide a well defined geometry and to avoid the effects of small scratches that may have affected earlier experiments. The film thicknesses were determined by Atkins' oscillation measurements of [sup 4]He films on the same surface. The superfluid transition temperature in the film T[sup F][sub c] was suppressed below the bulk value T[sup B][sub c], and was close to being described by 2[sigma]/[zeta](T[sup F][sub c]) = [pi], as expected for A-phase. The critical current density was more than an order of magnitude smaller than expected for pair-breaking. When a [sup 4]He monolayer was adsorbed on the substrate, there was no suppression of T[sup F][sub c] and the critical current density was much larger. With or without the [sup 4]He monolayer an abrupt decrease in the flow rate was observed as the film thinned, which may be associated with the B to A-phase transition that should occur.

• OSTI ID: 6824103
• Journal Information: Journal of Low Temperature Physics; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Low Temperature Physics; (United States) Vol. 95:5-6; ISSN JLTPAC; ISSN 0022-2291
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

665420* -- Superfluidity-- (1992-)
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
CRITICAL CURRENT
CURRENTS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FILM FLOW
FLUID FLOW
HELIUM 3
HELIUM ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
NUCLEI
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
STABLE ISOTOPES
SUPERFLUIDITY
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TRANSITION TEMPERATURE