Wetting Properties of Grain Boundaries in Solid Helium 4

Details Wetting Properties of Grain Boundaries in Solid Helium 4 Wetting Properties of Grain Boundaries in Solid Helium 4

2007-07-20

arxiv.org/abs/0707.3110v3

Physics

Condensed Matter

Other Condensed Matter

4 pages, 4 figures

Scientific paper

10.1103/PhysRevLett.99.205302

We have observed boundaries between hcp $^4$He crystal grains in equilibrium with liquid $^4$He. We have found that, when emerging at the liquid-solid interface, a grain boundary makes a groove whose dihedral angle $2\theta$ is non-zero. This measurement shows that grain boundaries are not completely wet by the liquid phase, in agreement with recent Monte Carlo simulations. Depending on the value of $\theta$, the contact line of a grain boundary with a solid wall may be wet by the liquid. In this case, the line is a thin channel with a curved triangular cross section, whose measured width agrees with predictions from a simple model. We discuss these measurements in the context of grain boundary premelting and for a future understanding of the possible supersolidity of solid $^4$He.

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