Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Physical Review Letters

Observation of quantized circulation in superfluid B3

J. C. Davis, J. D. Close, Rena J. Zieve, R. E. Packard

Published Jan 21, 1991• 82 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We report the first observation of quantized circulation in superfluid $^{3}\mathit{B}$. The apparatus consists of a straight vibrating wire immersed in liquid $^{3}\mathrm{He}$, which is cooled by a rotating nuclear demagnetization cryostat. The experiment is carried out at about 250 \ensuremath{\mu}K. The superfluid at this temperature is in the ballistic quasiparticle regime. Circulation around the wire is found to be stable only when it takes on the values -h/2${\mathit{m}}_{3}$, 0, and +h/2${\mathit{m}}_{3}$, where h is Planck's constant and ${\mathit{m}}_{3}$ is the mass of the $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ atom. This experiment confirms that superfluid $^{3}\mathit{B}$ is a Cooper-paired superfluid with a macroscopic quantum wave function.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.66.329

Related papers

Stable circulation in superfluid [sup 3]He-A

Rena J. Zieve, Yury Mukharsky, J. D. Close +2 more

The authors present evidence of stable nonzero circulation in superfluid [sup 3]He-A around a 16[mu]m diameter wire. The measurements are made on a rotating cryostat at T [approx] 0.15[Tc]. Circulation affects the splitting of the wire's normal modes, which changes the beat frequency in the emf across the wire as it vibrates in a magnetic field. The different beat frequencies at 14 and at 21 bar suggest that circulation is present at 21 bar. Furthermore, at 21 bar the beat frequency is a linear function of rotation velocity, as is expected if circulation is trapped around the wire. At 14 bar no effect of rotation is observed. The authors propose that at 21 bar the ground state texture has nonzero circulation of order h/2m[sub 3].

•Oct 1, 1992•0 citations

Experiments on quantized circulation in superfluid 3He

J C Davis, J. D. Close, R. Zieve +1 more

This paper provides a brief description of recent experiments measuring the fluid circulation in 3He. In the B phase, the circulation around a 16 ~m diameter wire is found to be quantized in units of h/2m~. Possible future experiments are also described. It is widely believed that quantized circulation is a fundamental property of any superfluid system [1]. The fluid circulation must be quantized in units of h/nm, where m is the mass of the individual atoms in the fluid and n is an integer that depends on the microscopic process responsible for the macroscopic quantum state. For the case of 4He, the interacting atoms experience a Bose condensation into the superfluid state and n = 1. This fact has been demonstrated in several different types of experiments [1].

•Sep 23, 2013•0 citations

Vortex generation induced by low-frequency wire vibration in superfluid H3e-B

Y. Nago, M. Inui, Ryusuke Kado +4 more

We report the generation of a quantized vortex in superfluid $^{3}\text{H}\text{e-B}$. Oscillating objects can generate vortices due to breaking of Cooper pairs in superfluid $^{3}\text{H}\text{e}$, resulting that the threshold velocity for vortex generation is higher than the pair-breaking velocity. Using very-low-frequency vibrating wires with smooth surfaces, however, we find that the threshold velocity of vortex generation is lower than the pair-breaking velocity. The threshold velocity remains constant with decreasing $^{3}\text{H}\text{e}$ pressure until the pair-breaking velocity equals the vortex-generation threshold velocity at a low pressure. These results indicate that another mechanism that is independent of pressure generates vortices for the low-frequency vibrating wire in superfluid $^{3}\text{H}\text{e}$. The threshold velocity observed in experiments turns out to be nearly equal to the velocity of the instability of the vortex lines attached to the wire, which is characterized by only the circulation quantum.

Physical Review B•Dec 14, 2010•11 citations

Precession of a single vortex line in superfluid B3

Rena J. Zieve, Yu. M. Mukharsky, J. D. Close +2 more

This paper reports the discovery of a new vortex phenomenon in superfluid $^{3}\mathit{B}$. A single filament of quantized vortex line precesses as a solid body around a wire extending along the axis of a cylinder. The precession frequency equals the angular velocity of the apparatus at which the presence of a single quantum of circulation minimizes the system's free energy. The period of precession is related to the circulation quantum and the dimensions of the apparatus. Thus a measurement of the precession period is an accurate determination of the quantum unit. We find \ensuremath{\kappa}=(1.020\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.03)h/2${\mathit{m}}_{3}$, where ${\mathit{m}}_{3}$ is the mass of the $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ atom.

Physical Review Letters•Mar 2, 1992•38 citations

Doubly quantized vorticity and other NMR experiments on rotating 3He superfluids

J. J. Ruohio

This doctoral thesis consists of experimental studies on rotating superfluid helium-3 at millikelvin temperatures. Superfluid 3He provides an example of ordered systems where quantum phenomena are visible on a macroscopic scale. The order parameter is described by a 3x3 complex matrix leading to different superfluid phases with different properties. The A and B phases support topologically different kinds of defects, most notably vortex lines. Vortex lines are most easily created and studied in uniform rotation. Because of quantum nature, the circulation around the vortices is quantized in units of κ0 = h/2m3.\n\nIn superfluid 3He nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) provides a means to distinguish between different types of vortices and count them one by one. During the course of this work the sensitivity of the NMR spectrometer was improved by an order of magnitude, which enabled the direct measurement of the circulation of a vortex in the A phase that carries two circulation quanta (2κ0). Up to now the circulation of the known quantized vortex types in other quantum fluids, which include superfluid 4He, superconductors, and Bose-Einstein -condensates, has been singly quantized.\n\nOther NMR experiments reported in the thesis are: (1) The first qualitative measurements of vortex annihilation in the A and B phases of 3He. These measurements tell the lowest rotation velocity that stabilizes an array of vortex lines with a given number of vortices, and how it depends on the type of the defect. (2) Studies of vortex arrays with both singly and doubly quantized A phase vortex lines coexisting in the experimental container. 3He-A provides a unique system in which this kind of arrangement can be done. (3) In order to improve the vortex detection sensitivity in the B phase even further, the response of different nonlinear spin precession modes to superfluid-normal fluid counterflow was studied. A new mode, where the orbital angular momentum is oriented transverse to the external magnetic field, was found.

•Apr 6, 2001•0 citations

Progress of studies on rotating ultracold atoms

Bo Zhao

The macroscopic quantization of circulating current is an attractive property of superfluids. The realization of Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) offers us a new testing ground, in which we can explore superfluids thoroughly. Vortex line excitation and even vortex lattices have been experimentally observed. When the angular velocity is further increased, the vortex lattice in BEC will melt into a new strongly correlated system, a quantum Hall liquid. We review the progress of both theoretical and experiment research on rotating cold atoms.

•Jan 1, 2005•0 citations
We report the first observation of quantized circulation in superfluid 3B^{3}\mathit{B}3B. The apparatus consists of a straight vibrating wire immersed in liquid 3He^{3}\mathrm{He}3He, which is cooled by a rotating nuclear demagnetization cryostat. The experiment is carried out at about 250 \ensuremath{\mu}K. The superfluid at this temperature is in the ballistic quasiparticle regime. Circulation around the wire is found to be stable only when it takes on the values -h/2m3{\mathit{m}}_{3}m3​, 0, and +h/2m3{\mathit{m}}_{3}m3​, where h is Planck's constant and m3{\mathit{m}}_{3}m3​ is the mass of the 3He^{3}\mathrm{He}3He atom. This experiment confirms that superfluid 3B^{3}\mathit{B}3B is a Cooper-paired superfluid with a macroscopic quantum wave function.
The authors present evidence of stable nonzero circulation in superfluid [sup 3]He-A around a 16[mu]m diameter wire. The measurements are made on a rotating cryostat at T [approx] 0.15[Tc]. Circulation affects the splitting of the wire's normal modes, which changes the beat frequency in the emf across the wire as it vibrates in a magnetic field. The different beat frequencies at 14 and at 21 bar suggest that circulation is present at 21 bar. Furthermore, at 21 bar the beat frequency is a linear function of rotation velocity, as is expected if circulation is trapped around the wire. At 14 bar no effect of rotation is observed. The authors propose that at 21 bar the ground state texture has nonzero circulation of order h/2m[sub 3].
This paper provides a brief description of recent experiments measuring the fluid circulation in 3He. In the B phase, the circulation around a 16 ~m diameter wire is found to be quantized in units of h/2m~. Possible future experiments are also described. It is widely believed that quantized circulation is a fundamental property of any superfluid system [1]. The fluid circulation must be quantized in units of h/nm, where m is the mass of the individual atoms in the fluid and n is an integer that depends on the microscopic process responsible for the macroscopic quantum state. For the case of 4He, the interacting atoms experience a Bose condensation into the superfluid state and n = 1. This fact has been demonstrated in several different types of experiments [1].
We report the generation of a quantized vortex in superfluid 3He-B^{3}\text{H}\text{e-B}3He-B. Oscillating objects can generate vortices due to breaking of Cooper pairs in superfluid 3He^{3}\text{H}\text{e}3He, resulting that the threshold velocity for vortex generation is higher than the pair-breaking velocity. Using very-low-frequency vibrating wires with smooth surfaces, however, we find that the threshold velocity of vortex generation is lower than the pair-breaking velocity. The threshold velocity remains constant with decreasing 3He^{3}\text{H}\text{e}3He pressure until the pair-breaking velocity equals the vortex-generation threshold velocity at a low pressure. These results indicate that another mechanism that is independent of pressure generates vortices for the low-frequency vibrating wire in superfluid 3He^{3}\text{H}\text{e}3He. The threshold velocity observed in experiments turns out to be nearly equal to the velocity of the instability of the vortex lines attached to the wire, which is characterized by only the circulation quantum.
This paper reports the discovery of a new vortex phenomenon in superfluid 3B^{3}\mathit{B}3B. A single filament of quantized vortex line precesses as a solid body around a wire extending along the axis of a cylinder. The precession frequency equals the angular velocity of the apparatus at which the presence of a single quantum of circulation minimizes the system's free energy. The period of precession is related to the circulation quantum and the dimensions of the apparatus. Thus a measurement of the precession period is an accurate determination of the quantum unit. We find \ensuremath{\kappa}=(1.020\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.03)h/2m3{\mathit{m}}_{3}m3​, where m3{\mathit{m}}_{3}m3​ is the mass of the 3He^{3}\mathrm{He}3He atom.
This doctoral thesis consists of experimental studies on rotating superfluid helium-3 at millikelvin temperatures. Superfluid 3He provides an example of ordered systems where quantum phenomena are visible on a macroscopic scale. The order parameter is described by a 3x3 complex matrix leading to different superfluid phases with different properties. The A and B phases support topologically different kinds of defects, most notably vortex lines. Vortex lines are most easily created and studied in uniform rotation. Because of quantum nature, the circulation around the vortices is quantized in units of κ0 = h/2m3.\n\nIn superfluid 3He nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) provides a means to distinguish between different types of vortices and count them one by one. During the course of this work the sensitivity of the NMR spectrometer was improved by an order of magnitude, which enabled the direct measurement of the circulation of a vortex in the A phase that carries two circulation quanta (2κ0). Up to now the circulation of the known quantized vortex types in other quantum fluids, which include superfluid 4He, superconductors, and Bose-Einstein -condensates, has been singly quantized.\n\nOther NMR experiments reported in the thesis are: (1) The first qualitative measurements of vortex annihilation in the A and B phases of 3He. These measurements tell the lowest rotation velocity that stabilizes an array of vortex lines with a given number of vortices, and how it depends on the type of the defect. (2) Studies of vortex arrays with both singly and doubly quantized A phase vortex lines coexisting in the experimental container. 3He-A provides a unique system in which this kind of arrangement can be done. (3) In order to improve the vortex detection sensitivity in the B phase even further, the response of different nonlinear spin precession modes to superfluid-normal fluid counterflow was studied. A new mode, where the orbital angular momentum is oriented transverse to the external magnetic field, was found.
The macroscopic quantization of circulating current is an attractive property of superfluids. The realization of Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) offers us a new testing ground, in which we can explore superfluids thoroughly. Vortex line excitation and even vortex lattices have been experimentally observed. When the angular velocity is further increased, the vortex lattice in BEC will melt into a new strongly correlated system, a quantum Hall liquid. We review the progress of both theoretical and experiment research on rotating cold atoms.