Observation of Unusual Mass Transport in Solid hcp 4He

TL;DR

This study reports the observation of superfluid-like mass transport in solid hcp 4He, demonstrating unusual flow behavior dependent on temperature and pressure, achieved through innovative growth and injection techniques.

Contribution

It introduces a novel experimental method to observe superfluid-like mass transport in solid helium and provides evidence of such transport off the melting curve.

Findings

Evidence of superfluid-like mass flow in solid 4He

Mass flux varies with temperature and pressure

Solid 4He exhibits unusual transport properties

Abstract

Solid 4He has been created off the melting curve by growth at nearly constant mass via the "blocked capillary" technique and growth from the 4He superfluid at constant temperature. The experimental apparatus allows injection of 4He atoms from superfluid directly into the solid. Evidence for the superfluid-like transport of mass through a sample cell filled with hcp solid 4He off the melting curve is found. This mass flux depends on temperature and pressure.