Increasing Quantum Degeneracy by Heating a Superfluid

D. J. Papoular, G. Ferrari, L. P. Pitaevskii, and S. Stringari
Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 084501 – Published 20 August 2012

Abstract

We consider a uniform superfluid confined in two compartments connected by a superleak and initially held at equal temperatures. If one of the two compartments is heated, a fraction of the superfluid will flow through the superleak. We show that, under certain thermodynamic conditions, the atoms flow from the hotter to the colder compartment, contrary to what happens in the fountain effect observed in superfluid helium. This flow causes quantum degeneracy to increase in the colder compartment. In superfluid helium, this novel thermomechanical effect takes place in the phonon regime of very low temperatures. In dilute quantum gases, it occurs at all temperatures below Tc. The increase in quantum degeneracy reachable through the adiabatic displacement of the wall separating the two compartments is also discussed.

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  • Received 28 March 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.084501

© 2012 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

D. J. Papoular1, G. Ferrari1, L. P. Pitaevskii1,2, and S. Stringari1

  • 1INO-CNR BEC Center and Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Trento, 38123 Povo, Italy
  • 2Kapitza Institute for Physical Problems, Kosygina 2, 119334 Moscow, Russia

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Issue

Vol. 109, Iss. 8 — 24 August 2012

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