Published December 2007 | Version v1
Journal article

A study of the motion of single electrons in liquid helium

  • 1. Department of Physics, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912 (United States)

Description

We have developed an apparatus which can be used to monitor the motion of individual electrons in liquid helium. A sound wave is used to explode an electron bubble for a fraction of a microsecond. While the bubble is expanded, it is illuminated by light from a flash lamp. We describe the details of the experiment and show the results we obtained. The phonon-roton in liquid helium drags the electron bubbles across the experiment cell. In some cases, an electron is seen to follow a snakelike path. Our tentative explanation is that the electron is sliding along a quantized vortex line

Additional details

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Journal of Physics. Conference Series (Online)
Journal Volume
92
Journal Issue
1
Journal Page Range
p. 012001
ISSN
1742-6596

Conference

Title
12. international conference on phonon scattering in condensed matter
Acronym
PHONONS 2007
Dates
15-20 Jul 2007
Place
Paris (France)

INIS

Country of Publication
United Kingdom
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
39039944
Subject category
S75: CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY;
Resource subtype / Literary indicator
Conference
Descriptors DEI
ELECTRONS; HELIUM; LIGHT BULBS; LIQUIDS; PHONONS; ROTONS; SOUND WAVES; VISIBLE RADIATION; VORTICES
Descriptors DEC
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION; ELEMENTARY PARTICLES; ELEMENTS; FERMIONS; FLUIDS; GASES; LEPTONS; NONMETALS; QUASI PARTICLES; RADIATIONS; RARE GASES