Effect of an intermediate bcc phase on the evolution of superfluid inclusions in an hcp3He–4He matrix

Abstract

Pulsed NMR is used to study the evolution of liquid inclusions formed in an hcp matrix during rapid cooling of a 3He-4He solution containing 1.05% 3He. The diffusion coefficient of 3He in the liquid inclusions as they evolve is measured by a spin echo technique with two probe pulses. The measurements were made at 1.67 K, which corresponds to the region of the bcc phase in the phase diagram, and at 1.38 K, where the bcc phase is absent. It is found that during the evolution in both cases, the liquid inclusions are smaller than the diffusion length and diffusion is restricted. The measured coefficient of restricted diffusion made it possible to determine the characteristic size of the inclusions. In the first case, during the evolution of the liquid inclusions an intermediate bcc phase in the form of dendrites develops and separates the liquid inclusions into a mass of fine droplets. Because of the rapid growth of the bcc phase, the size of the droplets decreases rapidly and the process ends with the disappearance of the bcc phase and the formation of an amorphous state. The results derived from the measured diffusion coefficient correlate with the behavior of the spin-lattice relaxation time in this kind of system. In the second case, at a lower temperature, the bcc phase does not develop and the evolution of the liquid inclusions is accompanied by a very slow reduction in their size until their complete solidification.