Vortex line connections across the AB interface in superfluid He-3

摘要

Vortex lines cannot end at the interface between the A and B phases of superfluid He-3. They lie either parallel to the interface, coating it as a vortex layer, or cross it perpendicularly. In the A-phase in a magnetic field, there exists both a singly and a doubly quantized vortex structure. The latter forms first in most situations because of its lower critical velocity. The dominant interconnection of vortex lines across the AB boundary is formed by joining one doubly quantized A-phase vortex with two singly quantized B-phase vortices. The simpler topology of a direct connection between singly quantized vortices in both phases is found to exist, but only when the singly quantized A-phase vortex is already present and the AB interface is formed later. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. [References: 3]