Quantum Plasticity and Supersolid Response in Helium-4

TL;DR

This paper links observed phenomena in solid helium-4 to quantum dislocation networks, predicting impurity effects and temperature dependencies that unify supertransport, plasticity, and compressibility behaviors.

Contribution

It proposes a unified framework connecting supertransport, plasticity, and syringe effects in helium-4 via quantum dislocation networks, with specific impurity and temperature predictions.

Findings

Syringe effect and giant plasticity persist at zero temperature without helium-3 impurities.

Low-frequency responses are dispersionless.

Helium-3 impurities suppress the syringe effect at low temperatures.

Abstract

We argue that the three key phenomena recently observed in solid $^4$He---mass supertransport, anomalous isochoric compressibility (syringe effect), and giant plasticity---are closely linked to each other through the physics of an interconnected network of tilted quantum-rough dislocations. As immediate implications of this connection several predictions follow: In the absence of $^3$He impurities, the syringe effect and giant plasticity persist down to $T=0$; the dynamical low-frequency syringe and giant-plasticity responses are dispersionless; and similarly to giant plasticity but without direct relationship to the supertransport along the dislocation cores, $^3$He impurities should suppress the syringe effect partially or completely at appropriately low temperatures.