Observation of inter-edge magnetoplasmon mode in a degenerate two-dimensional electron gas

We study the propagation of edge magnetoplasmons by time-resolved current measurements in a sample which allows for selective detection of edge states in the quantum Hall regime. We observe two decoupled modes of edge and inter-edge magnetoplasmons at filling factors close to 3. From the analysis of the propagation velocities of each mode the internal spatial parameters of the edge structure are derived.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, submitte

Neutron reflection from the liquid helium surface.

The reflection of neutrons from a helium surface has been observed for the first time. The 4He surface is smoother in the superfluid state at 1.54 K than in the case of the normal liquid at 2.3 K. In the superfluid state we also observe a surface layer ~200 Å thick which has a subtly different neutron scattering cross-section, which may be explained by an enhanced Bose-Einstein condensate fraction close to the helium surface. The application of neutron reflectometry described in this paper creates new and exciting opportunities for the surface and interfacial study of quantum fluids

Bose-Einstein Condensate in Solid Helium

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.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures (in press

Influence of the liquid helium meniscus on neutron reflectometry data

Neutron reflectometry offers a unique opportunity for the direct observation of nano-stratification in 3He-4He mixtures in the ultra-low temperature limit. Unfortunately the results of recent experiments could not be well-modelled on account of a seemingly anomalous variation of reflectivity with momentum transfer. We now hypothesize that this effect is attributable to an optical distortion caused by the liquid’s meniscus near the container wall. The validity of this idea is tested and confirmed through a subsidiary experiment on a D2O sample, showing that the meniscus can significantly distort results if the beam size in the horizontal plane is comparable with, or bigger than, the diameter of the container. The meniscus problem can be eliminated if the beam size is substantially smaller than the diameter of the container, such that reflection takes place only from the flat region of the liquid surface thus excluding the meniscus tails. Practical measures for minimising the meniscus distortion effect are discussed

Coupled phonon-ripplon modes in a single wire of electrons on the liquid-helium surface

The coupled phonon-ripplon modes of the quasi-one-dimensional electron chain on the liquid helium sutface are studied. It is shown that the electron-ripplon coupling leads to the splitting of the collective modes of the wire with the appearance of low-frequency modes and high-frequency optical modes starting from threshold frequencies. The effective masses of an electron plus the associated dimple for low frequency modes are estimated and the values of the threshold frequencies are calculated. The results obtained can be used in experimental attempts to observe the phase transition of the electron wire into a quasi-ordered phase.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, Physical Review (in press

Polaron effects in electron channels on a helium film

Using the Feynman path-integral formalism we study the polaron effects in quantum wires above a liquid helium film. The electron interacts with two-dimensional (2D) surface phonons, i.e. ripplons, and is confined in one dimension (1D) by an harmonic potential. The obtained results are valid for arbitrary temperature ($T$), electron-phonon coupling strength ($\alpha$), and lateral confinement ($\omega_{0}$). Analytical and numerical results are obtained for limiting cases of $T$, $\alpha$, and $\omega_{0}$. We found the surprising result that reducing the electron motion from 2D to quasi-1D makes the self-trapping transition more continuous.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.