Quantum Cavitation

TL;DR

This paper models superfluid vortices in a rotating superfluid-superconductor system as an Ising-like lattice, revealing how interactions promote quantum cavitation through symmetry-breaking effects that enhance tunneling probabilities.

Contribution

It introduces a novel theoretical framework linking superfluid vortices to an Ising model, elucidating the role of symmetry breaking in quantum cavitation phenomena.

Findings

Interaction with Abrikosov vortices increases tunneling probability.

Symmetry breaking favors bubble nucleation in quantum cavitation.

Model provides insights into vortex dynamics in superfluid-superconductor systems.

Abstract

We consider the theoretical setting of a superfluid like 3He in a rotating container, which is set between the two layers of a type-II superconductor. We describe the superfluid vortices as a 2-dimensional Ising-like model on a triangular lattice in presence of local magnetic fields. The interaction term of the superfluid vortices with the Abrikosov vortices of the superconductor appears then as a symmetry breaking term in the free energy. Such a term gives a higher probability of quantum tunnelling across the potential barrier for bubbles nucleation, thus favouring quantum cavitation.