The properties of quantum evaporation are being studied, including the difficult problem of measuring the quantum efficiency of the evaporation. However the process of quantum evaporation is well enough understood for us to use it to study, in a depth that was impossible before, the properties of phonons and rotons. He at temperatures well below the wetting temperature. We have measured the contact angle between liquid helium and cesium and have shown that it goes to zero in a first order phase transition at the wetting temperature. On rubidium we have measured the wetting temperature and showed that the two 4 He films of different thicknesses that coexist are probably both superfluid.
Solid hydrogen is a quantum solid with a large zero-point energy.
This means that the molecules on the surface solid hydrogen do not stay at fixed lattice sites as with normal solids do but move around to go to the lowest free energy configuration. We have developed a model that shows that the process is activated diffusion. Quantum fluids research gives the possibility of discovering new phenomena and tackling original and fundamental physics. There are a number of groups in England studying Quantum Fluids and we enjoy a high international reputation. Our PhD students have little problem in getting good jobs.