What happens if you touch a quantum superfluid?

It was revealed as a result of a recent research What would it be like to touch a quantum superfluid?. In the experiment carried out by researchers at Lancaster University in England, a special probe the size and shape of a finger was used to obtain the results.

It was immersed in a helium isotope cooled to a temperature close to absolute zero, allowing scientists to record the features found there. This was the first time contact with the quantum universe was possible. And the best part was, since the probe was capable of carrying out the work, there was no need for people to take risks during the research process.

“These experimental conditions are extreme and use complex techniques, but now I can tell you what it would be like if we could get our hands on this quantum system. In the 100-year history of quantum, no one has been able to answer this question. Physicist Samuli Autti, who led the experiment at the University of Lancaster, said: “We now have at least superfluid helium-3 “We showed that this question can be answered,” he said.

Even though no one actually touched the material, the probe’s recordings were able to convey important information so researchers could understand what it felt like for a person. Professor Autti explains: “If you could stick your finger into it, this liquid would have a two-dimensional feel. While most of the superfluid appears empty, heat flows along the edges of the mass in a two-dimensional subsystem or other words that run along your finger.”

No doubt, It would be a really weird feeling.. At first, the surface of the liquid appears to form an independent two-dimensional layer that conducts heat away. Beneath this, most of the material acts like space, passively giving the impression that there is nothing there.

This means that “most” of the liquid can only interact with the surface and not with the probe. Therefore, scientists believe that this area will only become accessible if it is subjected to a large energy emission. The paper about the experiment is due to be published in the journal Nature but is currently available here.

What is a superfluid?

superfluids a state of matter in which the liquid no longer has any viscosity or friction. It is formed by cooling an isotope, in this case helium, to a temperature just above absolute zero (-273.15 degrees Celsius).

It is currently possible to create a superfluid from helium-3 and helium-4. However, the former is considered the purest among the superfluids and constitutes an object of great scientific importance. “This research could completely change the way we look at quantum science,” said Samuli Autti.

Did you like the content? So, stay up to date with more news like this about the world of physics and science at TecMundo and take the opportunity to learn how a quantum simulator could solve one of the great mysteries of science.