PHYSICAL REVIEW B

VOLUME 53, NUMBER 5

1 FEBRUARY 1996-I

Interpretation of the low damping of subthermal capillary waves ripplons on superuid 4 He

P. Roche, M. Roger, and F. I. B. Williams
` Service de Physique de lEtat Condense, Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique, Centre dEtudes de Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France Received 11 August 1995 The problem of ripplon damping on superuid 4 He is reexamined to show how imposing the boundary condition constraint at the perturbed rather than unperturbed surface position results in strong cancellation of the previous result for the three-ripplon interaction. This has orders of magnitude consequences for the relaxation rate of subthermal ripplons, which is shown to be dominated instead by ripplon-phonon scattering qT 4 , in excellent quantitative agreement with recent experiments.

I. INTRODUCTION

Atkins1 rst proposed the idea of treating the longwavelength excitations at the free surface of superuid helium as quantized capillary waves, or ripplons. It was very successful in explaining the temperature dependence of the surface tension and also accounts well for the frequencies.2 4 The idea was further developed by Saam to examine the stability of ripplons to decay by ripplon-ripplon5 and ripplon-phonon6 scattering as a result of hydrodynamic nonlinearity. Saams formalism was consequently used to estimate nite temperature lifetimes7,8 where it was concluded that subthermal ripplon decay should be dominated by ripplon-ripplon scattering. Experiment however shows ripplons to be much longer lived than these predictions. The upper bound on the damping deduced from observed lifetimes of coupled surface charge-ripplon modes3,4 was already 2 orders of magnitude lower, but was conceivably within the range of error introduced by approximations.8 Now that measurements of ripplon damping9 have revealed a six orders of magnitude discrepancy, a bolder explanation is called for. Either there is an error in the logic relating the calculated result to the model or the model itself is wrong. We have therefore reexamined the formalism. The constraint imposed by the surface boundary condition relates the velocity potential to the surface deformation and thereby determines the form of the Lagrangian in terms of the surface variables. The correction to the ripplon-ripplon scattering Hamiltonian, introduced by applying the constraint at the perturbed rather than the unperturbed surface conguration, is of the same order as the term obtained by Saam using the unperturbed constraint. The sign, however, is opposite and the two terms almost exactly cancel in the limit of subthermal ripplons. Indeed, the cancellation is so strong ( 10 12 ) that the mechanism of ripplon-phonon scattering, previously thought to be unimportant, becomes dominant. An explicit calculation shows that this process accounts well for the new experimental results. In what follows, we dissert the problem in such a way as to try to understand why taking account of the curvature on applying the surface boundary conditionitself a wellknown procedure10leads to such a dramatic cancellation in the damping rate. In a coordinate system dened by the three unit vectors
0163-1829/96/53 5 /2225 4 /$06.00 53

(x,y,z), let the liquid be located, at time t, in the half space z (x,y,t). In the absence of any excitation, 0. The superuid is described by an irrotational velocity eld v (x,y,z,t) subject to the boundary condition that there be no particle ow though the free surface. For an element ds of the boundary surface with normal vector n, zn ds vnds. Since n is proportional to (z ), ( / x)x ( / y)y , the boundary condition becomes10 / z
z

Expanding Eq. 1 to second order in ( , ),

2

z
z 0

z2

z 0

z 0.

This is the constraint which was approximated to the rst term in Ref. 5. We dene Fourier transforms in the (x,y) plane r xx yy r ,z
q q

z e iqr ,

r
q

qe

iqr

Incompressible uid: the three-ripplon interaction. The equation of continuity in the incompressible liquid 0 leads qz to q(z) q . The boundary condition 1 qe , with q imposes q
q

q q

qq q q

q q

where the last term corresponds to the sum of the secondorder terms in Eq. 2 . The Lagrangian of a nonviscous incompressible uid is L T V, where T
0 x,y

dxdy

v2 x,y,z dz

represents the kinetic energy11 and V

0

dxdy 1

1/2

is the potential energy from surface-tension forces.12 0 represents the bulk 4 He density and 0 the surface tension at
2225 1996 The American Physical Society

2226

BRIEF REPORTS

53

zero temperature. Expanding T and V to order three in ( , ), one obtains the same expression as Saam:5 L
0

q
q 0

q2
q

2 q,q

qq

qq

q q

The variables ( q , q) are coupled through Eq. 4 , from which L L 0 L 1 with L0

0 0

The new coefcients are bounded by Q 2 /2, whereas previously the only bound was imposed by the availability of thermally excited ripplons q,q q T . Very roughly, the effect on the damping is to introduce a factor (Q/q) 4 ( Q /k B T) 8/3 10 13 in the typical conditions of the experiment of Ref. 9. In fact, in contrast with the previous result, the principal contribution now arises from q Q and not from q q T , so that the decay rate becomes proportional to T. A good approximation to the numerically inte3 grated result, accurate to 15% for 10 5 is Q /k B T 10 given by
1

1 q q

q2
q

,
Q Q

1.2 aQ 18

k BT 2. 0a

13

L1

2 q,q

qq qq qq

q q

and the classical Hamiltonian, correct to order 3, is H H 0 H 1 with H0 1 2 0 q

q q 2 0

2 qq

q2
q

H1

1 2 0 q,q

qq

q q

L/ q is the momentum conjugate to q . The where q quantum version is obtained through the usual transformation of canonical variables into Bose operators.5 The interaction Hamiltonian H 1 differs from Eq. 6 of Ref. 5 only in the sign of the qq term. This seemingly innocent remark is crucial. First of all, the sign ensures the invariance of the physics to a z translation of the coordinate system. In a new set of coordinates dened by (x x, y y, z z ) the new Fourier components are related to the old by q q , q 0, and 0 0 and the Hamiltonian is transformed into H H 2
q q, q q

If a is taken to be the Wigner-Seitz radius ( 2.2 ), 7 2 0 a /k B 1.4 K. It is related to the previous estimate by a 7/3 12 factor 0.05( Q /k B T) ( 10 for 10 m wavelength at 0.5 K . In view of the dramatic reduction factor for this mechanism, it becomes important to estimate other mechanisms and in particular the ripplon-phonon interaction. Compressible uid: the one-ripplontwo-phonon interaction. Saam6 also set up a formalism for the compressible uid using linearized continuity equations. We shall see however that the second-order terms in the continuity equations have only a small effect on the ripplon-phonon interaction for subthermal ripplons. The Lagrangian of the ideal compressible uid is L T V V , where T 1 2 dxdy dz v2 14

represents the kinetic energy, V is given by Eq. 6 and s2 2 0

2

dxdy

dz

15

q
q q q 2

qq
0 q

qq

10

Only if the term in curly brackets is null are the form and the physical results invariant; otherwise an arbitrary effective mass term is added to H resulting in arbitrary ripplon frequencies depending on the choice of coordinate reference. By the same token, the present form changes radically the previous result for the damping of subthermal ripplons. For ripplons of wave vector Q, the dominant effect arises from terms involving Q . Taking account of the vector addition Q q q, these now become 1 2 0 instead of 1 2 0 1 2 q q
2

is the contribution to the energy due to the compression of the liquid. represents the variation of the density from the equilibrium value 0 and s is the rst 0 sound velocity. is coupled to by Eq. 2 and is coupled to v through the equation of continuity in the bulk12
0

0.
1

16 , where

0 as the sum of two terms, We write 0 satises the continuity equation to rst order

and
1

17

1 2

q q

Q2

q Q

q Q

11

is a second-order term satisfying

0 1 0 0

0.

18

Q2

q Q

q Q.

12

The quadratic part of the Lagrangian, L 0 T 0 V 0 V 0 , is obtained by expanding T, V, and V to second order,

53
0 0

BRIEF REPORTS

2227

T0

2 V0 s2 2 0

dxdy

dz

0 2

dxdy
0

we retain only the lowest order in b q /q ( 0.015 for thermal phonons at 1 K . Within this approximation, R q,k 1, q,k . Hence, we neglect the third-order z 0 0, and q,k term order (b q /q) 2 in the expansion of V . After an integration by parts with the help of Eq. 18 , the kinetic energy may be written T T 0 T 1 where 19 T1 dxdy
0 0 2 z 0 1 0

V0

dxdy

dz

2
0 0

dz
0

0 2

2
0

and restricting the continuity equations 2 and 16 to linear terms. The normal modes of L 0 are expressed in Ref. 6. We shall however reformulate the problem somewhat differently. The key point is that it is only possible to eliminate variables through the constraints of Eqs. 2 and 16 taken to second order if we choose and rather than and Ref. 6 as independent generalized coordinates. In addition to the Fourier transforms of Eq. 3 , we introduce q,k dened by x,y,z
q,k 0 q,k e i qr kz

dxdy

.
z 0

26

( 1 / z) z 0 can be expressed in terms of its Fourier transform in the (x,y) plane, after integration of Eq. 18
1 q

i
z 0 q ,k

k 2 2q 2 q q q qq k 2 q q 2 4q 2 0 kq k

q ,k .

q,k

* q,

k.

20

must satisfy Eq. 17 , the general solution for which is a sum over
0 q

As T 1 is already of order 3, the variable 0 may be elimiq nated from it by using the rst-order surface boundary condition of Eq. 22 and Eq. 21 . The resulting contribution to the three-ripplon interaction is La 1
0

R qz qe

1
0 k

q,k q
2

k2

e ikz .

21

2 q,q

qq qq qq

q q

q .

27

The coefcient R is xed by the boundary condition 2 at q the free surface. 1 is determined by Eq. 18 to be of order 2. To rst order in the surface constraint q Setting
R q

Neglecting terms of order 8 compared with 8 8 , the lowest order one-ripplontwo-phonon interaction from T 1 is described by L1 1 2 0 kk k q
2

q with R q,k

1
q q 0 k

ik q
2

q,k .

22

q,k q ,k

8 q,k

q q

8q

,k

. 28

q, k

q,k ,

where 23

R q,k

2 q 2 k 2 2ib q k 0q with b q q 2 k 2 2ib q k 2 0s 2

Additional interaction terms, those omitted in Ref. 6, arise from T 0 on expressing R in terms of the generalized coorq dinates by means of the surface boundary condition of Eq. 2 taken to second order. Equation 22 is then replaced by q
R q

represents the reection coefcient for phonons impinging on the surface, the Lagrangian L 0 takes the diagonal form of Ref. 6 L0
0

q
q

qq q q

1 q q q

z 0

q
q

2 1/2

q
q

q2 b2 q

q2 b2 q

q 1/2

1
0 q ,k

ikqq q q q ,k . q q q 2 k2

29

8 q,k 2 1 4 0 q,k q 2 k 2 where

q

s2 2, 4 0 q,k q,k

24

The rst second-order term in Eq. 29 contributes to the three-ripplon interaction Lb 1 qq qq q q . 30

b q (q 2 b 2 ) 1/2 and q q,k

q,k

0 q,q

q q

4ib q k 0 2 q k 2 2ib q k

q.

25

The eigenfrequencies for ripplons are q ( 0 q q 2 / 0 ) 1/2 and for phonons q,k s(q 2 k 2 ) 1/2 . 6 The next higher order introduces the interaction terms which give rise to damping. We shall limit ourselves here13 to the terms of interest for damping of subthermal ripplons ( q k B T). Only three-ripplon and one-ripplontwophonon scattering is allowed by the kinematics. Futhermore

The sum L 1 L a L b is identical to the three-ripplon term 1 1 of Eq. 8 for the incompressible uid. The other secondorder terms induce two-ripplonone-phonon interactions that are kinematically forbidden in the regime that we consider here. The relevant Lagrangian is then L L 0 L 1 L 1 . In terms of the conjugate momenta L/ q and q 8 q,k , the Hamiltonian is H H 0 H 1 L/ q, k H 1 with

2228

BRIEF REPORTS

53

H0

q2 b2 q
q

1/2 q 2

2
0

2 q
q,k 2

0q 2

q 1/2 q

b2 q

q2 k2

q,k

s2 4 0 q,k

H1

1 2 0 q,q
0

qq

qq

q q

H1 2

kk
q,k q ,k

q,k

q q

q ,k

31

The three-ripplon term H 1 is identical to Eq. 9 and, as already pointed out, differs from the previously accepted result. Our leading term H 1 for the one-ripplontwo-phonon interaction, on the other hand, is identical to that derived in Ref 6; the higher order terms in the continuity equations make no signicant contribution here. The ripplon damping factor associated with H 1 for Q k B T is 2 3
Q Q 1 2 2 3 60

Q
0 1 2 Q

k BT s T
D 4

FIG. 1. Theoretical damping factor straight lines for wavelength 3.3 and 20 m compared to experimental data Ref. 9 .

7.7

W0 2 0a

Qa

1/2

32

The Stefan-Boltzmann like part of this result arises from the energy momentum loss associated with the Doppler shift of phonons reected from the moving surface and the Q/ 0 part from the ripplon effective mass. Introducing the WignerSeitz radius, a, highlights the more evidently dimensionless 2 second form where W 0 /ma 2 2.5K (m is the 4 He atom mass is a measure of the zero point energy and the Debye temperature D is dened in the usual way. The result is compared in Fig. 1 with recent measure-

ments of the damping factor for ripplons with wavelength in the range 320 m.9 The agreement with this ab initio calculation is remarkable. We conclude that the basic physics of the quantum hydrodynamical model of Atkins and Saam is not put into question by the new experiments. The problem stems rather from an inconsistency in the formalism. Once this is put right, the model, which contains no adjustable parameters, gives an extremely good quantitative account of the laboratory results on ripplon lifetimes. It is a pleasure to thank G. Deville, S. Balibar, and N. J. Appleyard for many stimulating discussions.

1 2

K.R. Atkins, Can. J. Phys. 31, 1165 1953 . K.A. Pickar and K.R. Atkins, Phys. Rev. 178, 399 1969 . 3 C.C. Grimes and G. Adams, Phys. Rev. Lett. 42, 745 1979 . 4 G. Deville, J. Low. Temp. Phys. 72, 135 1988 . 5 W.F. Saam, Phys. Rev. A 8, 1918 1973 . 6 W.F. Saam, Phys. Rev. B 12, 163 1975 . 7 H. Gould and V.K. Wong, Phys. Rev. B 18, 2124 1978 . 8 R.C. Jones, A.J.E. Williams, W.F. Vinen, and P.A. Ewbank, J. Low Temp. Phys. 92, 239 1993 . 9 P. Roche, G. Deville, K.O. Keshishev, N.J. Appleyard, and F.I.B. Williams, Phys. Rev. Lett. 75, 3316 1995 .

10

H. Lamb, Hydrodynamics, 6th ed. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1932 , Chap. I. 11 Applying Greens theorem with 0, the kinetic energy can be represented as an integral over the free surface S : Using the exact boundary condition, T S vnds. T dxdy z . Although this leads to a more elegant formalism, we have preferred to follow Saam. 12 L.D. Landau and E.M. Lifshitz, Fluid Mechanics Pergamon, London, 1959 , Chap. VII. 13 The other terms appear in P. Roche, Ph.D. thesis, University of Paris VI, France, 1995, and will be published elsewhere.