Evidence for a High-Temperature Disorder-Induced Mobility in Solid $^4$He

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that solid $^4$He exhibits disorder-induced mobility phenomena at high temperatures (1.3K-1.9K), similar to low-temperature effects, suggesting a new understanding of its quantum behavior beyond supersolidity.

Contribution

It provides experimental evidence of high-temperature disorder-induced mobility in solid $^4$He, challenging the traditional low-temperature supersolidity interpretation.

Findings

Partial decoupling of helium mass from oscillator observed

Change in dissipation correlates with disorder creation

Phenomena occur in both bcc and hcp phases

Abstract

We have carried out torsional oscillator experiments on solid $^4$He at temperatures between 1.3K and 1.9K. We discovered phenomena similar to those observed at temperatures below 0.2K, which currently are under debate regarding their interpretation in terms of supersolidity. These phenomena include a partial decoupling of the solid helium mass from the oscillator, a change of the dissipation, and a velocity dependence of the decoupled mass. These were all observed both in the bcc and hcp phases of solid $^4$He. The onset of this behavior is coincidental with the creation of crystalline disorder but does not depend strongly on the crystalline symmetry or on the temperature.