Search for superfluidity in supercooled liquid parahydrogen

Abstract

The possible superfluid transition of supercooled liquid parahydrogen is investigated by quantum Monte Carlo simulations. The cooling protocol adopted here allows for the investigation of a fluid phase down to a temperature T=0.25 K. No evidence of superfluidity is found, as exchanges of identical particles are strongly suppressed even at the lowest temperature. Is shown that, contrary to a commonly held belief, it is not the well depth of the pair-wise interaction but rather its relatively large hard core diameter that physically hinders superfluidity in parahydrogen.