Superfluid Interfaces in Quantum Solids

Abstract

One scenario for the non-classical moment of inertia of solid He-4 discovered by Kim and Chan [Nature 427, 225 (2004)] is the superfluidity of micro-crystallite interfaces. On the basis of the most simple model of a quantum crystal--the checkerboard lattice solid--we show that the superfluidity of interfaces between solid domains can exist in a wide range of parameters. At strong enough inter-particle interaction, a superfluid interface becomes an insulator via a quantum phase transition. Under the conditions of particle-hole symmetry, the transition is of the standard U(1) universality class in 3D, while in 2D the onset of superfluidity is accompanied by the interface roughening, driven by fractionally charged topological excitations.