Seminar 12th April

[Cond.Matt. & Stat.Mech.Section]

SEMINAR on    Disorder and strong electron correlations

 

Thursday, 12 April -  11:30 a.m.



Luigi Stasi Seminar Room,  Leonardo Building - first floor

 

Massimo BONINSEGNI      ( University of Alberta, Edmonton )

 

"Bose statistics, crystallization and   quantum jamming"

 

Abstract

 

Indistinguishability of particles plays a major role in destabilizing crystalline order in Bose systems. 

In this talk, this effect will be semi-quantitatively described in terms of damped quasi-particle modes, and illustrated in the dual language of Feynman paths.  A robust confirmation of this prediction is provided by means of first-principle simulations of dipolar bosons and bulk condensed helium-four.  Two major implications are that   a) contrary to conventional wisdom, zero-point motion alone cannot prevent helium-four crystallization at low temperature, at saturated vapour pressure, and   b) Bose statistics leads to quantum jamming at finite temperature, dramatically enhancing the metastability of superfluid glasses.  Only theoretical studies in which quantum statistics is fully included can reliably address these issues.