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The A-B transition in superfluid helium-3 under confinement in a thin slab geometry

Author

Listed:
  • N. Zhelev

    (Cornell University)

  • T. S. Abhilash

    (Cornell University)

  • E. N. Smith

    (Cornell University)

  • R. G. Bennett

    (Cornell University)

  • X. Rojas

    (Royal Holloway University of London)

  • L. Levitin

    (Royal Holloway University of London)

  • J. Saunders

    (Royal Holloway University of London)

  • J. M. Parpia

    (Cornell University)

Abstract

The influence of confinement on the phases of superfluid helium-3 is studied using the torsional pendulum method. We focus on the transition between the A and B phases, where the A phase is stabilized by confinement and a spatially modulated stripe phase is predicted at the A–B phase boundary. Here we discuss results from superfluid helium-3 contained in a single 1.08-μm-thick nanofluidic cavity incorporated into a high-precision torsion pendulum, and map the phase diagram between 0.1 and 5.6 bar. We observe only small supercooling of the A phase, in comparison to bulk or when confined in aerogel, with evidence for a non-monotonic pressure dependence. This suggests that an intrinsic B-phase nucleation mechanism operates under confinement. Both the phase diagram and the relative superfluid fraction of the A and B phases, show that strong coupling is present at all pressures, with implications for the stability of the stripe phase.

Suggested Citation

  • N. Zhelev & T. S. Abhilash & E. N. Smith & R. G. Bennett & X. Rojas & L. Levitin & J. Saunders & J. M. Parpia, 2017. "The A-B transition in superfluid helium-3 under confinement in a thin slab geometry," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms15963
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15963
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