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Path-Dependent Supercooling of the He 3 Superfluid A - B Transition

Author

D. Lotnyk
A. Eyal
N. Zhelev
A. Sebastian
Y. Tian
A. Chavez
E. Smith
J. Saunders
E. Mueller
J. Parpia

Abstract

We examine the discontinuous first-order superfluid He3 A to B transition in the vicinity of the polycritical point (2.232 mK and 21.22 bar). We find path-dependent transitions: cooling at fixed pressure yields a well-defined transition line in the temperature-pressure plane, but this line can be reliably crossed by depressurizing at nearly constant temperature after transiting Tc at a higher pressure. This path dependence is not consistent with any of the standard B-phase nucleation mechanisms in the literature. This symmetry breaking transition is a potential simulator for first order transitions in the early Universe. © 2021 American Physical Society.

Date Published

Journal

Physical Review Letters

Volume

126

Issue

21

URL

https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85107143569&doi=10.1103%2fPhysRevLett.126.215301&partnerID=40&md5=ab6a585b04187e9146bdbbae0d0f4c92

DOI

10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.215301

Group (Lab)

Jeevak Parpia Group

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