The Possibility of Existence of an Energy Gap in the One-Particle Excitation Spectrum of He II

TL;DR

This paper explores the theoretical possibility of an energy gap in the one-particle excitation spectrum of superfluid helium-4, proposing a model that differs from traditional theories and estimating the gap size from experimental data.

Contribution

It introduces a new microscopic model predicting an energy gap in He II's excitation spectrum, contrasting with Landau's and Bogolyubov's models.

Findings

Existence of a gap approximately 0.31 K at zero temperature.

Coexistence of phonon and one-particle spectra in He II at all temperatures.

The model differs from traditional Landau and Bogolyubov models.

Abstract

Possibility for coexistence of a phonon and one-particle spectra in ${}^4He$ at all temperatures including temperatures below the $\lambda$ - point is shown. An approach developed to consider the problem of the weakly imperfect Bose gas results in the existence of a gap in the one-particle (one-atom) excitation spectrum below the transition point. Thus, the microscopic model of He II turns out to differ both from the model initially suggested by Landau and from the Bogolyubov model accepted at present. Analysis of the experimental data obtained by measuring enthalpy and the part of helium atoms condensed in the state with the momentum $p=0$ enabled to estimate the size of the gap. It turned out to be approximately equal to 0.31 K at zero temperature.