CMT126
Crystalline order in superfluid 3He films
- Author(s):
A. B. Vorontsov and J. A. Sauls
- Address: Department of Physics & Astronomy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208
- Date: January 22, 2007
- Journal:
Physical Review Letters 98, 045301 (2007)
[DOI]
[PDF]
- Abstract:
We predict an inhomogeneous phase of superfluid 3He films in which translational symmetry
is spontaneously broken in the plane of the film. This phase is energetically favored over
a range of film thicknesses,
Dc2(T) < D < Dc1(T), separating distinct
homogeneous superfluid phases. The instability at the critical film thickness,
Dc2 &asymb; 9ξ(T), is a single-mode
instability generating striped phase order in the film. Numerical calculations of the order
parameter and free energy indicate a second-order instability to a periodic lattice of degenerate
B-like phases separated by domain walls at
Dc1
&asymb; 12ξ(T). The striped phase should be identifiable
in transport and nuclear magnetic resonance experiments.
- Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures
- Eprint:
[PDF]
[arXiv]
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