Excimers He2* as tracers of quantum turbulence in He4 in the T=0 Limit

Abstract

We have studied the interaction of metastable He2*4 excimer molecules with quantized vortices in superfluid He4 in the zero temperature limit. The vortices were generated by either rotation or ion injection. The trapping diameter of the molecules on quantized vortices was found to be 96±6 nm at a pressure of 0.1 bar and 27±5 nm at 5.0 bar. We have also demonstrated that a moving tangle of vortices can carry the molecules through the superfluid helium. © 2013 American Physical Society.