Superfluidity and superconductivity are striking examples of how quantum mechanics can affect the collective behaviour of large numbers of identical particles. When the temperature of a many-particle fluid is lowered below a critical threshold, thermal fluctuations are no longer able to prevent it from collapsing into a purely quantum state. If the particles are electrically neutral, like helium–3 and helium–4 atoms, such a 'coherent' state can flow without friction and is known as a superfluid. If, on the other hand, the particles are charged, the coherent state loses its resistance to electrical current and becomes a superconductor.

Back to square one for superfluidity / Scandolo, Sandro; Santoro, Giuseppe E.. - In: PHYSICS WORLD. - ISSN 0953-8585. - 17:12(2004), pp. 3-3. [10.1088/2058-7058/17/12/26]

Back to square one for superfluidity

Santoro, Giuseppe E.
2004-01-01

Abstract

Superfluidity and superconductivity are striking examples of how quantum mechanics can affect the collective behaviour of large numbers of identical particles. When the temperature of a many-particle fluid is lowered below a critical threshold, thermal fluctuations are no longer able to prevent it from collapsing into a purely quantum state. If the particles are electrically neutral, like helium–3 and helium–4 atoms, such a 'coherent' state can flow without friction and is known as a superfluid. If, on the other hand, the particles are charged, the coherent state loses its resistance to electrical current and becomes a superconductor.
2004
Scandolo, Sandro; Santoro, Giuseppe E.
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Scandolo_PW2004.pdf

non disponibili

Tipologia: Versione Editoriale (PDF)
Licenza: Non specificato
Dimensione 41.9 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
41.9 kB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11767/15049
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 0
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 0
social impact