We study the zero-temperature quantum phase transition between liquid and hcp solid $^{4}\mathrm{He}$ . We use the variational method with a simple yet exchange-symmetric and fully explicit wave function. It is found that the optimized wave function undergoes spontaneous symmetry breaking and describes the quantum solidification of helium at 22 atm. The explicit form of the wave function allows us to consider various contributions to the phase transition. We find that the employed wave function is an excellent candidate for describing both a first-order quantum phase transition and the ground state of a Bose solid.We study the zero-temperature quantum phase transition between liquid and hcp solid $^{4}\mathrm{He}$. We use the variational method with a simple yet exchange-symmetric and fully explicit wave function. It is found that the optimized wave function undergoes spontaneous symmetry breaking and describes the quantum solidification of helium at 22 atm. The explicit form of the wave function allows us to consider various contributions to the phase transition. We find that the employed wave function is an excellent candidate for describing both a first-order quantum phase transition and the ground state of a Bose solid.

arXiv:1410.0392Physical Review BDec 11, 20142 citations

Fluid-Solid Phase Transition of a Hard-Sphere Bose System

Jean-Pierre Hansen, D. Levesque, Daniel Schiff

The ground-state energy of a system of hard-sphere bosons of diameter $\ensuremath{\sigma}$ is calculated by a variational method using a Jastrow wave-function for the fluid phase and a "localized" Jastrow times a Gaussian wave function for the solid phase. The transition densities are ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\mathrm{fluid}}=0.23\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02$ particles/${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}^{3}$ and ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\mathrm{solid}}=0.25\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02$ particles/${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}^{3}$.The ground-state energy of a system of hard-sphere bosons of diameter $\ensuremath{\sigma}$ is calculated by a variational method using a Jastrow wave-function for the fluid phase and a "localized" Jastrow times a Gaussian wave function for the solid phase. The transition densities are ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\mathrm{fluid}}=0.23\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02$ particles/${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}^{3}$ and ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\mathrm{solid}}=0.25\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02$ particles/${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}^{3}$.

Physical Review AFeb 1, 197159 citations

Phase Transitions in Disordered Bose Systems

Kanwal G. Singh

Jan 1, 19930 citations

We study the zero-temperature quantum phase transition between liquid and hcp solid

^{4}\mathrm{He}

. We use the variational method with a simple yet exchange-symmetric and fully explicit wave function. It is found that the optimized wave function undergoes spontaneous symmetry breaking and describes the quantum solidification of helium at 22 atm. The explicit form of the wave function allows us to consider various contributions to the phase transition. We find that the employed wave function is an excellent candidate for describing both a first-order quantum phase transition and the ground state of a Bose solid.