A simple model of thermal conductivity in supersolid Helium

ORAL

Abstract

The recent discovery of the decrease of the torsional oscillator period in solid Helium has led to a renewed interest in a supersolid state. The simplest model for this state is one in which the vacancies undergo Bose-Einstein condensation. Within this model we use the Boltzmann equation to investigate the thermal conductivity of normal $^4$He and super solid by considering phonons interacting with a gas of vacancies. We analyze the temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity and specific heat for different vacancy concentrations. We will discuss the consequences of our calculations for existing and future experiments.

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Authors

  • Joshua Thibodaux

    Louisiana State University

  • Ilya Vekhter

    Louisiana State University

  • M.J. Graf

    Los Alamos National Laboratories, (LANL), Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Alexander V. Balatsky

    Theoretical Division and Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratories, Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, (LANL)