Collective Modes in a Quantum Solid

Snir Gazit, Daniel Podolsky, Heloise Nonne, Assa Auerbach, and Daniel P. Arovas
Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 085302 – Published 15 August 2016

Abstract

We provide a theoretical explanation for the optical modes observed in inelastic neutron scattering on the bcc solid phase of helium 4 [T. Markovich et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 195301 (2002)]. We argue that these excitations are amplitude (Higgs) modes associated with fluctuations of the crystal order parameter within the unit cell. We present an analysis of the modes based on an effective Ginzburg-Landau model, classify them according to their symmetry properties, and compute their signature in inelastic neutron scattering experiments. In addition, we calculate the dynamical structure factor by means of an ab intio quantum Monte Carlo simulation and find a finite frequency excitation at zero relative momentum.

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  • Received 27 November 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.085302

© 2016 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

Snir Gazit1,2, Daniel Podolsky2, Heloise Nonne2, Assa Auerbach2, and Daniel P. Arovas3

  • 1Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
  • 2Physics Department, Technion, 32000 Haifa, Israel
  • 3Department of Physics, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA

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Issue

Vol. 117, Iss. 8 — 19 August 2016

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