Experimental observation of exploding electron bubbles

Since free electrons form small voids in liquid helium they are expected to be preferred sites for nucleating macroscopic bubbles when the liquid is exposed to sufficiently large negative pressures. We have performed a series of cavitation experiments using focussed ultrasound where free electrons were introduced into the liquid by a radioactive source. The electron bubbles are found to explode at negative pressures significantly lower than those required for homogeneous nucleation. We present measurements of the thresholds for cavitation at electrons in the temperature range 1 - 4.5 K. Reasonable agreement with a simple model for the stability limit of the electron bubble is obtained. (author)