Superfluid Phase Research Articles

Utilization of cryogenic phases of helium as “magic” working fluids in laboratory experiments: Pushing the boundaries of fluid dynamics

A surprisingly large part of the valuable scientific contributions of K. R. Sreenivasan—known to his friends and coworkers as Sreeni—to fluid dynamics is directly connected with precisely controlled benchmark experiments with cryogenic phases of helium. These experiments have been performed in a number of leading low temperature laboratories using conventional viscous 4He and 3He gases, normal liquid 4He (He I), as well as liquid 3He–4He mixtures and superfluid phases of 4He (He II) and 3He-B. We review their extraordinary physical properties and describe selected experiments, focusing on various forms of thermal convection, which push the boundaries of classical and quantum fluid dynamics.

Revealing discontinuous and continuous quantum phase transitions in shaken optical lattices

We perform the cluster mean-field with density matrix renormalization (CMFT+DMRG) calculation on the two-band extended Bose–Hubbard model to uncover the physics behind the discontinuous transitions observed in the one-dimensional shaken optical lattice with hybridized two lowest Bloch bands. We determine the superfluid, Mott insulator, and staggered superfluid phases associated with this model using the appropriate order parameters. We obtained the phase diagrams for two values of shaking amplitudes and illustrated the phases and nature of phase transitions. The transition from Mott insulator and superfluid to staggered superfluid is discontinuous for small shaking amplitudes. We analyse how the shaking frequency controls the effective chemical potential in the model and, consequently, the ground state energy that drives the discontinuous transition. Finally, we compare our results with those of earlier works.

Functional renormalisation group approach to the finite-temperature Bose polaron

The functional renormalisation group (FRG) approach is employed to study Bose polarons at finite temperatures in the regime of strong attractive bath-impurity interactions. Both two- and three-dimensional configurations are considered. The appearance of two polaron quasiparticle branches at finite temperatures is revealed, consistent with recent findings by other analytical techniques. Ground-state polaron energies are also reported for selected interactions and temperatures within the gas superfluid phase. The findings of this work present the FRG as a useful tool for studying finite-temperature polarons in quantum gases.

Theory of topological exciton insulators and condensates in flat Chern bands

Excitons are the neutral quasiparticles that form when Coulomb interactions create bound states between electrons and holes. Due to their bosonic nature, excitons are expected to condense and exhibit superfluidity at sufficiently low temperatures. In interacting Chern insulators, excitons may inherit the nontrivial topology and quantum geometry from the underlying electron wavefunctions. We theoretically investigate the excitonic bound states and superfluidity in flat-band insulators pumped with light. We find that the exciton wavefunctions exhibit vortex structures in momentum space, with the total vorticity being equal to the difference of Chern numbers between the conduction and valence bands. Moreover, both the exciton binding energy and the exciton superfluid density are proportional to the Brillouin-zone average of the quantum metric and the Coulomb potential energy per unit cell. Spontaneous emission of circularly polarized light from radiative decay is a detectable signature of the exciton vorticity. We propose that the vorticity can also be experimentally measured via the nonlinear anomalous Hall effect, whereas the exciton superfluidity can be detected by voltage-drop quantization through a combination of quantum geometry and Aharonov-Casher effect. Topological excitons and their superfluid phase could be realized in flat bands of twisted Van der Waals heterostructures.

Critical and near-critical relaxation of holographic superfluids

We investigate the relaxation of holographic superfluids after quenches, when the end state is either tuned to be exactly at the critical point, or very close to it. By solving the bulk equations of motion numerically, we demonstrate that in the former case the system exhibits a power law falloff, as well as an emergent discrete scale invariance. The latter case is in the regime dominated by critical slowing down, and we show that there is an intermediate time range before the onset of late-time exponential falloff, where the system behaves similarly to the critical point with its power law falloff. We further postulate a phenomenological Gross-Pitaevskii-like equation (corresponding to model F of Hohenberg and Halperin) that is able to make quantitative predictions for the behavior of the holographic superfluid after near-critical quenches into the superfluid and normal phase. Intriguingly, all parameters of our phenomenological equation, which describes the nonlinear time evolution, may be fixed with information from the static equilibrium solutions and linear response theory. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

4He monolayer on graphene: a quantum Monte Carlo study

We revisit the problem of adsorption of a single 4He layer on graphene, focusing on the commensurate (C 1/3) crystalline phase, specifically on whether it may possess a nonzero superfluid response, and on the existence of superfluid phases, either (metastable) liquid or vacancy-doped crystalline. We make use of canonical quantum Monte Carlo simulations at zero and finite temperature, based on a realistic microscopic model of the system. Our results confirm the absence of any superfluid response in the commensurate crystal, and that no thermodynamically stable uniform phase exists at lower coverage. No evidence of a possibly long-lived, metastable superfluid phase at C 1/3 coverage is found. Altogether, the results of ground-state projection methods and finite-temperature simulations are entirely consistent.

Structure and scaling of Kitaev chain across a quantum critical point in real space.

The spatial Kibble-Zurek mechanism (KZM) is applied to the Kitaev chain with inhomogeneous pairing interactions that vanish in half of the lattice and result in a quantum critical point separating the superfluid and normal-gas phases in real space. The weakly-interacting BCS theory predicts scaling behavior of the penetration of the pair wavefunction into the normal-gas region different from conventional power-law results due to the non-analytic dependence of the BCS order parameter on the interaction. The Bogoliubov-de Gennes (BdG) equation produces numerical results confirming the scaling behavior and hints complications in the strong-interaction regime. The limiting case of the step-function quench reveals the dominance of the BCS coherence length in absence of additional length scale. Furthermore, the energy spectrum and wavefunctions from the BdG equation show abundant in-gap states from the normal-gas region in addition to the topological edge states.

Detecting superfluid transition in the pulsar core

ABSTRACT It is believed that the core of a neutron star can be host to various novel phases of matter, from nucleon superfluid phase to exotic high baryon density quantum chromodynamics (QCD) phases. Different observational signals for such phase transitions have been discussed in the literature. Here, we point out a unique phenomenon associated with phase transition to a superfluid phase, which may be the nucleon superfluid phase or a phase like the colour-flavour locked phase, allowing for superfluid vortices. In any superfluid phase transition, a random network of vortices forms via the so-called Kibble–Zurek mechanism, which eventually mostly decays away, finally leaving primarily vortices arising from the initial angular momentum of the core. This transient, random vortex network can have a non-zero net angular momentum for the superfluid component, which will generally be oriented in an arbitrary direction. This is in contrast to the final vortices, which arise from initial rotation and hence have the initial angular momentum of the neutron star. The angular momentum of the random vortex network is balanced by an equal and opposite angular momentum in the normal fluid due to the conservation of angular momentum, thereby imparting an arbitrarily oriented angular momentum component to the outer shell of the neutron star. This will affect the pulse timing and pulse profile of a pulsar. These changes in the pulses will decay away in a characteristic manner that this as the random vortex network decays, obeying specific scaling laws leading to universal features for the detection of superfluid transitions occurring in a pulsar core.

Autonomous dynamics of two-dimensional insulating domain with superclimbing edges

Superclimbing dynamics is the signature feature of transverse quantum fluids describing wide superfluid one-dimensional interfaces and/or edges with negligible Peierls barrier. Using Lagrangian formalism, we show how the essence of the superclimb phenomenon—dynamic conjugation of the fields of the superfluid phase and geometric shape—clearly manifests itself via characteristic modes of autonomous motion of the insulating domain (“droplet”) with superclimbing edges. In the translation invariant case and in the absence of supercurrent along the edge, the droplet demonstrates ballistic motion with the velocity-dependent shape and zero bulk currents. In an isotropic trapping potential, the droplet features a doubly degenerate sloshing mode. The period of the ground-state evolution of the superfluid phase (dictating the frequency of the AC Josephson effect) is sensitive to the geometry of the droplet. The supercurrent along the edge dramatically changes the droplet dynamics: The motion acquires features resembling that of a two-dimensional charged particle interacting with a perpendicular magnetic field. In a linear external potential (uniform force field), the state with a supercurrent demonstrates a spectacular gyroscopic effect—uniform motion in the perpendicular to the force direction. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Vortex-pair dynamics in three-dimensional homogeneous dipolar superfluids

The static and dynamic properties of vortices in dipolar Bose-Einstein condensates (dBECs) can be considerably modified relative to their nondipolar counterparts by the anisotropic and long-ranged nature of the dipole-dipole interaction. Working in a uniform dBEC, we analyze the structure of single vortices and the dynamics of vortex pairs, investigating the deviations from the nondipolar paradigm. For a straight vortex line, we find that the induced dipolar interaction potential is axially anisotropic when the dipole moments have a nonzero projection orthogonal to the vortex line. This results in a corresponding elongation of the vortex core along this projection as well as an anisotropic superfluid phase and enhanced compressibility in the vicinity of the vortex core. Consequently, the trajectories of like-signed vortex pairs are described by a family of elliptical and oval-like curves rather than the familiar circular orbits. Similarly for opposite-signed vortex pairs their translation speeds along the binormal are found to be dipole-interaction dependent. We expect that these findings will shed light on the underlying mechanisms of many-vortex phenomena in dBECs such as quantum turbulence, vortex reconnections, and vortex lattices. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Vortex entropy and superconducting fluctuations in ultrathin underdoped Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x superconductor

Vortices in superconductors can help identify emergent phenomena but certain fundamental aspects of vortices, such as their entropy, remain poorly understood. Here, we study the vortex entropy in underdoped Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x by measuring both magneto-resistivity and Nernst effect on ultrathin flakes (≤2 unit-cell). We extract the London penetration depth from the magneto-transport measurements on samples with different doping levels. It reveals that the superfluid phase stiffness ρs scales linearly with the superconducting transition temperature Tc, down to the extremely underdoped case. On the same batch of ultrathin flakes, we measure the Nernst effect via on-chip thermometry. Together, we obtain the vortex entropy and find that it decays exponentially with Tc or ρs. We further analyze the Nernst signal above Tc in the framework of Gaussian superconducting fluctuations. The combination of electrical and thermoelectric measurements in the two-dimensional limit provides fresh insight into high temperature superconductivity.

Fundamental role of nonlocal orders in 1D extended Bose-Hubbard model.

Nonlocal order parameters capture the presence of correlated fluctuations between specific degrees of freedom, in otherwise disordered quantum matter. Here, we provide a further example of their fundamental role, deriving the ground state phase diagram of the filling one extended Bose-Hubbard model, exclusively in terms of their ordering. By means of a density matrix renormalization group numerical analysis, we show that in addition to the (even) parity order characteristic of the Mott insulating phase and the string order nonvanishing in the Haldane insulator, the recently proposed odd parity order completes the picture, becoming nonvanishing at the transition from the normal superfluid to the paired superfluid phase. The above three nonlocal parameters capture all the distinct phases, including the density wave phase, in which the local order is seen as the simultaneous presence of correlated fluctuations in different channels. They provide a unique tool for the experimental observation of the full phase diagram of strongly correlated quantum matter, by means of local density measurements.

Strong-coupling mean-field and classical percolation approach to produce the phase diagram of disordered Bose–Hubbard model at fixed n = 1 filling

We perform strong-coupling mean-field along with classical percolation analysis to produce the phase diagram of disordered Bose–Hubbard model with chemical potential disorder in two dimensional square lattice. The phase diagram in the disorder strength (Δ) and the on-site repulsion (U), for two and three dimensional system at fixed n = 1 filling show interesting re-entrant superfluid phase sandwiched between Bose-glass phases, as observed by the previous QMC results. We produce the phase diagram exhibiting the re-entrant phenomenon as well as phenomenologically demonstrate the robustness of the re-entrant phenomena within this method. We also discuss the importance of the method and applicability in further analysis of the same phase diagram.

Mechanism for sound dissipation in a two-dimensional degenerate Fermi gas

We numerically study the transport properties of a two-dimensional Fermi gas in a weakly and strongly interacting regimes, in the range of temperatures close to the transition to a superfluid phase. For that we excite sound waves in a fermionic mixture by using the phase imprinting technique, follow their evolution, and finally determine both their speed and attenuation. Our formalism, originated from a density-functional theory, incorporates thermal fluctuations via the grand canonical ensemble description and with the help of Metropolis algoritm. From numerical simulations we extract temperature dependence of the sound velocity and diffusivity as well as the dependence on the interaction strength. We emphasize the role of virtual vortex–antivortex pairs creation in the process of sound dissipation.

Pulsar as a Weber detector of gravitational waves and a probe to its internal phase transitions

It is believed that cores of neutron stars provide a natural laboratory where exotic high baryon density phases of quantum chromo dynamics (QCD) may exist. In fact, the theoretically well-established neutron superfluid phase is also believed to be found only inside neutron stars. Focus on neutrons stars has tremendously intensified in recent years with the direct detection of gravitational waves (GWs) by LIGO/Virgo from binary neutron star (BNS) merger events which has allowed the possibility of directly probing the properties of the interior of a neutron star. A truly remarkable phenomenon manifested by rapidly rotating neutron stars is in their avatar as Pulsars. The accuracy of pulsar timing can reach the level of one part in 10[Formula: see text], comparable to that of atomic clocks. Indeed, it was such a great accuracy which had allowed the first indirect detection of GWs from a BNS system. Such an incredible accuracy of pulse timings points to a very interesting possibility. Any deformation of the pulsar, even if it is extremely tiny, has the potential of leaving its imprints on the pulses through introduction of tiny perturbations in the entire moment of inertia (MI) tensor. While, the diagonal components of perturbed MI tensor affect the pulse timings, the off-diagonal components lead to wobbling of pulsar, directly affecting the pulse profile. This opens up a new window of opportunity for exploring various phase transitions occurring inside a pulsar core, through induced density fluctuations, which may be observable as perturbations in the pulse timing as well as its profile. Such perturbations also naturally induce a rapidly changing quadrupole moment of the star, thereby providing a new source of GW emission. Another remarkable possibility arises when we consider the effect of an external GW on neutron star. With the possibility of detecting any minute changes in its configuration through pulse observations, the neutron star has the potential of performing as a Weber detector of GW. This brief review will focus on these specific aspects of a pulsar. Specifically, the focus will be on the type of physics which can be probed by utilizing the effect of changes in the MI tensor of the pulsar on pulse properties.

Superfluid Mott-insulator quantum phase transition in an open cavity optomagnonic system

We investigated the superfluid Mott-insulator phase transition within an open coupled cavity optomagnonic array system. Based on the quasibosonic approach and employing perturbation approximation and mean-field theory, we obtain the time-dependent analytical superfluid order parameter. Our analysis revealed that dissipation induces decoherence within the system, while a strong magnon-cavity coupling enhances coherence significantly. Moreover, we explored the mechanisms by which increasing the magnon-cavity coupling strength drives the system towards the superfluid phase. The work holds significant guidance for the study of superfluidMott insulator phase transition under dissipative conditions, and providing a reliable reference for experimental implementation in open quantum systems.

Reentrant phase behavior in systems with density-induced tunneling

We show that correlations in strongly interacting many-particle systems can create quantum decoherence, leading to a mechanism of dissipation that does not rely on an external source. Using analytical methods, we study a bosonic many body system in two dimensions, with extended interactions between particles. We show that, as expected, the system can be driven out of a coherent state. Surprisingly, when the interaction strength is sufficiently large, the system reenters the superfluid phase even after coherence is lost. The breakdown of quantum coherence is a certainty, but interpreting the process correctly relies on understanding and preserving the nature of the coupling between the constituents of the many particle system. The methods used provide a natural cutoff point at the critical temperature, where superfluidity breaks down.

Mass spectrum of spin-one hadrons in dense two-color QCD: Novel predictions by extended linear sigma model

We construct an extended version of the linear sigma model in such a way as to describe spin-1 hadrons as well as spin-0 hadrons in two-color QCD (QC2D) by respecting the Pauli-Gürsey SU(4) symmetry. Within a mean-field approximation, we therefrom examine a mass spectrum of the spin-1 hadrons at finite quark chemical potential (μq) and zero temperature. Not only mean fields of scalar mesons and scalar-diquark baryons but also of vector mesons and vector-diquark baryons are incorporated. As a result, we find that, unless all of those four types of mean fields are taken into account, neither lattice result for the critical μq that corresponds to the onset of baryon superfluidity nor for μq dependence of the pion mass can be reproduced. We also find that a slight suppression of the ρ meson mass in the superfluid phase, which was suggested by the lattice simulation, is reproduced by subtle mixing effects between spin-0 and spin-1 hadrons. Moreover, we demonstrate the emergence of an axial-vector condensed phase and possibly of a vector condensed phase by identifying the values of μq at which the corresponding hadron masses vanish. The possible presence of isotriplet 1− diquarks that may be denoted by a tensor-type quark bilinear field is also discussed. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Small-data global existence of solutions for the Pitaevskii model of superfluidity

We investigate a micro-scale model of superfluidity derived by Pitaevskii (1959 Sov. Phys. JETP 8 282–7) to describe the interacting dynamics between the superfluid and normal fluid phases of Helium-4. The model involves the nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLS) and the Navier–Stokes equations, coupled to each other via a bidirectional nonlinear relaxation mechanism. Depending on the nature of the nonlinearity in the NLS, we prove global/almost global existence of solutions to this system in T2 —strong in wavefunction and velocity, and weak in density.

Magnon Bose–Einstein condensates: From time crystals and quantum chromodynamics to vortex sensing and cosmology

Under suitable experimental conditions, collective spin-wave excitations, magnons, form a Bose–Einstein condensate (BEC), where the spins precess with a globally coherent phase. Bose–Einstein condensation of magnons has been reported in a few systems, including superfluid phases of 3He, solid state systems, such as yttrium-iron-garnet films, and cold atomic gases. The superfluid phases of 3He provide a nearly ideal test bench for coherent magnon physics owing to experimentally proven spin superfluidity, the long lifetime of the magnon condensate, and the versatility of the accessible phenomena. We first briefly recap the properties of the different magnon BEC systems, with focus on superfluid 3He. The main body of this review summarizes recent advances in the application of magnon BEC as a laboratory to study basic physical phenomena connecting to diverse areas from particle physics and cosmology to vortex dynamics and new phases of condensed matter. This line of research complements the ongoing efforts to utilize magnon BECs as probes and components for potentially room-temperature quantum devices. In conclusion, we provide a roadmap for future directions in the field of applications of magnon BEC to fundamental research.