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NMR Study of the Dynamics of He3 Impurities in the Proposed Supersolid State of Solid He4

S. S. Kim, C. Huan, L. Yin, J. Xia, D. Candela, and N. S. Sullivan
Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 185303 – Published 6 May 2011
Physics logo See Synopsis: A probe for supersolidity—or the lack thereof

Abstract

The dynamics of He3 atoms in solid He4 have been investigated by measuring the NMR relaxation times T1 and T2 in the region where a significant nonclassical rotational inertia fraction has been reported. For He3 concentrations x3=16 and 24 ppm, changes are observed for both the spin-lattice relaxation time T1 and the spin-spin relaxation time T2 at the temperatures corresponding to the onset of the nonclassical rotational inertia fraction and, at lower temperatures, to the He3He4 phase separation. The magnitudes of T1 and T2 at temperatures above the phase separation agree roughly with existing theory based on the tunneling of He3 impurities in the elastic strain field due to isotopic mismatch. However, a distinct peak in T1 and a less well-resolved feature in T2 are observed near the reported nonclassical rotational inertia fraction onset temperature, in contrast to the temperature-independent relaxation times predicted by the tunneling theory.

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  • Received 17 December 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.185303

© 2011 American Physical Society

Synopsis

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A probe for supersolidity—or the lack thereof

Published 6 May 2011

Nuclear magnetic resonance offers a glimmer of light at the end of quantum tunneling.

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Authors & Affiliations

S. S. Kim1,*, C. Huan1, L. Yin1, J. Xia1, D. Candela2, and N. S. Sullivan1

  • 1Department of Physics and National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, University of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida 32611, USA
  • 2Department of Physics, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA

  • *sungkim@phys.ufl.edu

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Issue

Vol. 106, Iss. 18 — 6 May 2011

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