He Below the Fermi Temperature*

Theorists have predicted new quantum states can emerge for quantum fluids (³He, ⁴He, H₂, HD) constrained to nanoscale dimensions where the thermal de Broglie wavelength and/or Fermi length are comparable to the channel size [1, 2]. In this experimental study, CW NMR techniques have been used to investigate the dynamics of quasi-1D ³He at low temperatures where pulsed NMR techniques cannot be used because of excessive RF heating. Specifically the nuclear spin relaxation times were obtained at temperatures down to 15 mK for ³He constrained to the interior of ⁴He-plated MCM-41, allowing for a more complete determination of the dynamics.

[1] S.-i. Tomonaga, Progress of Theoretical Physics 5, 544 (1950).

[2] J. M. Luttinger, J. Math. Phys. 4, 1154 (1963).