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Chiral symmetry breaking in superfluid 3He-A
H Ikegami1, Y Tsutsumi, K Kono
1Low Temperature Physics Laboratory, RIKEN, Wako, Saitama, Japan. hikegami@riken.jp
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|July 6, 2013
Summary
Researchers directly detected orbital chirality in superfluid helium-3 (3He-A) using electron transport measurements. This observation confirms chiral symmetry breaking and the selection of handedness at the superfluid transition.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Quantum Fluids
- Superfluidity
Background:
- Spontaneous symmetry breaking is crucial in physics.
- Superfluid helium-3 (3He-A) exhibits orbital chirality due to symmetry breaking.
- Direct detection of this chirality has been difficult.
Purpose of the Study:
- To directly detect the orbital chirality in superfluid helium-3 (3He-A).
- To demonstrate chiral symmetry breaking in this system.
- To investigate the selection of chirality handedness.
Main Methods:
- Transport measurements of electrons trapped below the free surface of superfluid 3He-A.
- Observation of the intrinsic Magnus force on moving electrons.
- Analysis of electron motion to infer chirality direction.
Main Results:
- Direct detection of electron chirality in superfluid 3He-A.
- Observed intrinsic Magnus force on moving electrons, reflecting chirality.
- Demonstrated selection of either right- or left-handed chirality at the superfluid transition.
Conclusions:
- Directly detected chirality in superfluid 3He-A.
- The intrinsic Magnus force serves as a direct probe of chirality.
- The observed selection of handedness confirms chiral symmetry breaking.
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