Dissipative flow of superfluid [sup 4]He through a small orifice by quantum and thermal nucleation of vortices

Conference · Thu Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1992 · Journal of Low Temperature Physics; (United States)

OSTI ID:7011328

Varoquaux, E ^[1]; Ihas, G G; Avenel, O; Aarts, R ^[2]

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1. Univ. Paris-Sud, Orsay (France)
2. Centre d'Etudes de Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette (France)

Flow measurements in ultra-pure [sup 4]He through a micron-size orifice at millikelvin temperatures show the transition from thermal to quantum nucleation of nanometer-size vortices below a crossover temperature of 0.147 K. Detailed analysis, similar to that done for macroscopic quantum tunneling in superconducting junctions, yields parameters that accurately predict the mean value and the distribution width of the critical velocities at all temperatures. These observations establish the close relationship between this type of critical flow and negative ion motion in superfluid [sup 4]He and strongly suggest that the underlying mechanism is identical.

• OSTI ID: 7011328
• Report Number(s): CONF-9206305--Pt.1
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Journal of Low Temperature Physics; (United States) Journal Volume: 89:1-2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

665420* -- Superfluidity-- (1992-)
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
CRITICAL VELOCITY
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
HELIUM 4
HELIUM II
HELIUM ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
NUCLEATION
NUCLEI
OPENINGS
ORIFICES
QUANTUM FLUIDS
STABLE ISOTOPES
SUPERFLUIDITY
VELOCITY
VORTEX FLOW