X-Ray-Induced Thinning of 3He and 3He/4He Mixture Films

Abstract

Films of isotopic mixtures of helium have been studied using x-ray specular reflectivity techniques. In contrast with superfluid 4He films, x-ray exposure causes a reduction in the thickness of 4He films above the superfluid transition as well as films of pure 3He and 3He/4He mixtures. One proposed model that could account for this effect is a charging model, in which thinning is caused by electrostatic pressure of free charges that accumulate on the helium surface. Unfortunately, this model is not fully consistent with all of the experimental observations. A localized heating model, in which indirect heating of the film causes it to thin would explain the data if there were dissipative film flow in the 3He/4He mixtures at temperatures where the bulk is superfluid. We argue that various published experimental results suggest such an effect. In this model, film thinning data for dilute 3He/4He films indicates dissipation that is linear in 3He content of the film over two orders of magnitude.