A New Framework for Understanding Supersolidity in 4He

Abstract

Recent experiments have detected 4He supersolidity, but the observed transition is rather unusual. In this paper, we describe a supersolid as a normal lattice suffused by a Bose gas. With this approach, we can explain the central aspects of the recent observations as well as previous experimental results. We conclude that detailed balance is violated in part of the 4He phase diagram, so that even in steady state contact with a thermal reservoir, the material is not in equilibrium.