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VERSION:2.0
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
PRODID:UW-Madison-Physics-Events
BEGIN:VEVENT
SEQUENCE:0
UID:UW-Physics-Event-1886
DTSTART:20101014T150000Z
DURATION:PT1H0M0S
DTSTAMP:20260421T230246Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20101008T182148Z
LOCATION:5310 Chamberlin
SUMMARY:Quantum Fluids in Random Media: Effects of Disorder on the Pha
 ses of <sup>3</sup>He\, R. G. Herb Condensed Matter Seminar\, James A.
  Sauls\, Northwestern University
DESCRIPTION:The light isotope of Helium - <sup>3</sup>He - is the pure
 st phase of matter in nature. Zero-point fluctuations drive any impuri
 ty out of the bulk liquid. However\, helium can be impregnated into po
 rous glass. <i>Silica aerogel</i> is a solid formed from a network of 
 strands and clusters of SiO<sub>2</sub> that is almost entirely empty 
 space. The system of quantum liquid infused into silica aerogel provid
 es an novel system for studying the effects of disorder on the relativ
 e stability of ordered phases near a quantum critical point. I will de
 scribe some of the key experiments\, and related theoretical interpret
 ations\, that have been carried which elucidate the role of disorder o
 n the properties of both normal and superfluid <sup>3</sup>He. These s
 tudies may also provide deeper insight into porous media with complex 
 structure. The gossamer structure of silica aerogel is a realization o
 f a random fractal - a solid with no long-range order\, but power-law 
 scaling of the density correlation function. I will also discuss possi
 bilities for observing the effects of fractal correlations in the diso
 rdered medium on the properties of liquid <sup>3</sup>He.
URL:https://www.physics.wisc.edu/events/?id=1886
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