English

Bose-Einstein Condensate in Solid Helium

Statistical Mechanics 2009-11-13 v1 Other Condensed Matter

Abstract

We present neutron scattering measurements of the atomic momentum distribution, n(k), in solid helium under a pressure p = 41 bars and at temperatures between 80 mK and 500 mK. The aim is to determine whether there is Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) below the critical temperature, T_c = 200 mK where a superfluid density has been observed. Assuming BEC appears as a macroscopic occupation of the k = 0 state below T_c, we find a condensate fraction of n_0 = (-0.10 \pm 1.20)% at T = 80 mK and n_0 = (0.08\pm0.78)% at T = 120 mK, consistent with zero. The shape of n(k) also does not change on crossing T_c within measurement precision.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.cond-mat/0702347,
  title  = {Bose-Einstein Condensate in Solid Helium},
  author = {S. O. Diallo and J. V. Pearce and R. T. Azuah and O. Kirichek and J. W. Taylor and H. R. Glyde},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/0702347},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

4 pages, 5 figures (in press)