Ultra high pressure supersolid helium

In summary, the conversation discusses the possibility of pressurizing helium to the point of a super solid state and how this may lead to similar effects as metallic hydrogen. There is a phase diagram of helium 4 that suggests all materials become "metallic" at a certain pressure, but the question remains whether this pressure can be reached in a real-life scenario.
  • #1
andrew848
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TL;DR Summary
I was wondering what would happened if you cooled helium to near absolute zero and kept pressurizing it.
Assuming you could get around the material and engineering problems with anything at high pressures what would happen if you kept pressurizing helium past a super solid state. If the pressures where high enough would you have a similar effect to metallic hydrogen with it behaving as a degenerate gas with superfluid and superconductor properties?
 
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  • #2
There is a phase diagram of helium 4 here
https://i.stack.imgur.com/pymYA.jpg
I presume all materials become 'metallic' at some pressure (possibly not fermions like He-3??), the question is what that pressure is predicted to be and if there is ever a physically real situation where it might get there?
 

1. What is ultra high pressure supersolid helium?

Ultra high pressure supersolid helium is a state of matter that occurs when helium gas is cooled to extremely low temperatures and placed under immense pressure. Under these conditions, the helium atoms become solid and exhibit properties of both a solid and a superfluid, allowing it to flow without any friction.

2. How is ultra high pressure supersolid helium created?

To create ultra high pressure supersolid helium, a sample of helium gas is first cooled to temperatures close to absolute zero (-273.15 degrees Celsius). It is then compressed using a specialized device called a diamond anvil cell, which can exert pressures of up to millions of times the Earth's atmospheric pressure.

3. What makes ultra high pressure supersolid helium unique?

Ultra high pressure supersolid helium is unique because it is the only known substance that exhibits both solid and superfluid properties at the same time. This makes it a particularly interesting subject for study in the field of condensed matter physics.

4. What applications does ultra high pressure supersolid helium have?

The properties of ultra high pressure supersolid helium have potential applications in fields such as energy storage, quantum computing, and high-precision sensors. However, more research is needed to fully understand and harness its properties for practical use.

5. What challenges are associated with studying ultra high pressure supersolid helium?

One of the main challenges in studying ultra high pressure supersolid helium is creating and maintaining the extreme conditions required for its formation. This requires specialized equipment and techniques, and the samples are often very small and difficult to work with. Additionally, the behavior of ultra high pressure supersolid helium is still not fully understood, making it a complex and ongoing area of research.

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