Quantum Tunneling in Single Component Two-Dimensional and Three-Dimensional Systems

研究液态氦表面的二维电子气和三维固体氦-4，重点是电子或氦原子的量子隧穿的证据。固体氦-4的研究将通过超声波衰减、热导率、热容和热脉冲传播实验来寻找准粒子激发、缺陷行为以及超固体--超流体的固体类似物--形成的证据。将测量电子从液氦表面的逃逸速率，以表征二维电子系统的基态和激发。

Studies of two-dimensional electron gas on the surface of liquid helium, and three-dimensional solid helium-four, focussing on evidence for quantum tunnelling of electrons or helium atoms. The solid helium-four study will be conducted using ultrasonic attenuation, thermal conductivity, heat capacity and heat pulse propagation experiments to look for quasiparticle excitations, defect behavior, and evidence for the formation of a "supersolid"-- the solid state analogue of a superfluid. Measurements of the escape rate of electrons from the surface of liquid helium will be performed in order to characterize the groundstate and excitations of the two-dimensional electron system.