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Complex structures, consisting of a large number of interacting subsystems, have the ability to self-organize and evolve, when the scattering of energy coming from the outside ensures the maintenance of stationary ordered structures with an entropy less than the equilibrium entropy. One of the fundamental problems here is the role of quantum phenomena in the evolution of macroscopic objects. We provide experimental evidence for the active Brownian motion and evolution of structures driven by quantum effects for micron-sized grains levitating in superfluid helium. The active Brownian motion of grains was induced by quantum turbulence during the absorption of laser irradiation by grains. The intensity of Brownian motion associated with quantum vortices increased by 6–7 orders of magnitude compared to the values from the Einstein formula. We observed the grain structures in a state far from thermodynamic equilibrium and their evolution to more complex organized structures with lower entropy due to the quantum mechanism of exceedingly high entropy loss in superfluid helium.

A multimodal dusty plasma formed in a positive column of the direct current glow discharge at superfluid helium temperatures has been studied for the first time. Formation of a liquid-like dusty plasma structure occurred after injection of polydisperse cerium oxide particles in the glow discharge. The coupling parameter ~10 determined for the dusty plasma structure corresponds very well to its liquid-like type. The cloud of nanoparticles and non-linear waves within the cloud were observed at T 6е, levitating in the gas discharge at the temperature ~2 K and pressure 4 Pa have been observed for the first time. Analysis of the experimental conditions and the filament composition allows us to conclude that the filaments and nanoclusters were formed due to ion sputtering of dielectric material during the experiments.

Recent studies of dusty plasma structures formed by polydispersed CeO2 particles in a dc glow discharge at a temperature T > 1.6 K were shown to be the first experiments on dusty plasma in an exotic dark glow discharge mode. The properties of cryogenic helium plasmas at T ~ 1 K are summarized and discussed.

We studied the luminescence of molecular nitrogen nanoclusters containing stabilized nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, and deuterium atoms. Optical spectra were observed during the destruction of these ensembles of nanoclusters accompanied by a rapid release of chemical energy stored in the samples. Several interesting features were observed including a broad band near λ ≈ 360 nm, which was identified as emission corresponding to 2Ag→1Ag transition of N4(D2h) polymeric nitrogen. Also the sharp lines at λ ∼ 336 and 473 nm were observed, and their assignments to ND radicals are discussed.

We have studied thermo-stimulated luminenscence and electron emission of nitrogen films and nanoclusters containing free radicals of atomic nitrogen. Thermo-stimulated electron emission from N2 nanoclusters was observed for the first time. Thermo-stimulated luminescence spectra obtained during the destruction of a N2–He sample are similar to those detected from N2 films pre-irradiated by an electron beam. This similarity reveals common mechanisms of energy transfer and relaxation. The correlation of luminescence intensity and electron current in both systems points to the important role of ionic species in relaxation cascades. Sublimation of solid helium shells isolating nitrogen nanoclusters is a trigger for the initiation of thermo-stimulated luminescence and electron emission in these nitrogen–helium condensates.

Impurity–helium condensates (IHCs) containing nitrogen and krypton atoms immersed in superfluid 4He have been studied via CW electron spin resonance (ESR). The IHCs are gel-like aggregates of nanoclusters composed of impurity species. It was found that the addition of krypton atoms to the nitrogen–helium gas mixture used for preparation of IHCs increases the efficiency of stabilization of nitrogen atoms. We have achieved high average (5 · 1019 cm−3) and local (2 · 1021 cm−3) concentrations of nitrogen atoms in krypton–nitrogen–helium condensates. The analysis of ESR lines shows that in krypton-nitrogen nanoclusters three different sites exist for stabilization of nitrogen atoms. Nitrogen atoms are stabilized in the krypton core of nanoclusters, in the nitrogen molecular layer that covers the Kr core, and on the surface of the nanoclusters. High concentrations of nitrogen atoms achieved in IHCs provide an important step in the search for magnetic ordering effects at low temperatures.

Impurity–helium condensates formed by krypton nanoclusters containing atoms and molecules of hydrogen isotopes have been studied via an electron spin resonance (ESR) technique. Analysis of the ESR spectra has shown that most of the H and D atoms reside on the surfaces of Kr nanoclusters. Very large average concentrations have been obtained for H atoms (1.2⋅10⋅19cm−3) and D atoms (3.3⋅19cm−3) in these experiments. Line narrowing has been observed for the highest concentration of D atoms stabilized in the Kr–He sample. Exchange tunneling reactions have been studied in Kr–He sample containing H and D atoms.

We observed the appearance of a broad feature at 360 nm in spectra obtained during the destruction of ensembles of molecular nitrogen nanoclusters containing stabilized nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen and deuterium atoms. We attribute this broad feature with a maximum at 360 nm to the N4 polynitrogen molecules which are the product of the neutralization reaction of ions with electrons in solid N2.

The thermoluminescence spectra of impurity-helium condensates (IHC) submerged in superfluid helium have been observed for the first time. Thermoluminescence of impurity-helium condensates submerged in superfluid helium is explained by neutralization reactions occurring in impurity nanoclusters. Optical spectra of excited products of neutralization reactions between nitrogen cations and thermoactivated electrons were rather different from the spectra observed at higher temperatures, when the luminescence due to nitrogen atom recombination dominates. New results on current detection during the IHC destruction are presented. Two different mechanisms of nanocluster charging are proposed to describe the phenomena observed during preparation and warmup of IHC samples in bulk superfluid helium, and destruction of IHC samples out of liquid helium.

A small permanent magnet was used to attract impurity-helium solid samples composed of hydrogen, deuterium, and nitrogen radicals. The magnetic field gradient was sufficiently strong to lift each of the impurity-helium solids while submerged in superfluid helium, but only strong enough to lift one of four samples through the liquid surface. This suggests ranges of local atomic radical concentrations that partially agree with previous ESR measurements. The attractive paramagnetic force is strong enough to be useful as a trap for the formation of a pure hydrogen impurity-helium solid, for use in radical concentration measurements and for sorting and moving impurity-helium solids.

We present the first observations of excimer XeO* molecules in molecular nitrogen films surrounding xenon cores of nanoclusters. Multishell nanoclusters form upon the fast cooling of a helium jet containing small admixtures of nitrogen and xenon by cold helium vapor (T = 1.5 K). Such nanoclusters injected into superfluid helium aggregate into porous impurity-helium condensates. Passage of helium gas with admixtures through a radio frequency discharge allows the storage of high densities of radicals stabilized in impurity-helium condensates. Intense recombination of the radicals occurs during destruction of such condensates and generates excited species observable because of optical emission. Rich spectra of xenon-oxygen complexes have been detected upon destruction of xenon-nitrogen-helium condensates. A xenon environment quenches metastable N((2)D) atoms but has a much weaker effect on the luminescence of N((2)P) atoms. Electron spin resonance spectra of N((4)S) atoms trapped in xenon-nitrogen-helium condensates have been studied. High local concentrations of nitrogen atoms (up to 10(21) cm(-3)) stabilized in xenon-nitrogen nanoclusters have been revealed.

Macroscopic ensembles of weakly interacting argon nanoclusters are studied using x-ray diffraction in low vacuum. As the clusters grow by fusion with increasing temperature, their structure transforms from essentially face-centered cubic (fcc) to hexagonal close packed as the cluster size approaches $\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{5}$ atoms. The transformation involves intermediate orthorhombic phases. These data confirm extant theoretical predictions. They also indicate that growth kinetics and spatial constraints might play an important role in the formation of the fcc structure of bulk rare-gas solids, which still remains puzzling.

1. Section 2.1, second paragraph, fifth line. Sentence is correct as follows: The α′-group corresponds to the electronic transition N(2D → 4S) accompanied by a simultaneous vibrational excitation v = 0 → v = 1 in the neighbouring N2(X1Σ+ g ) molecule. 2. Section 2.2, line 12: a-group and g-line are corrected as α-group and γ -line. 3. Section 3, second paragraph, line 6: W3 −u (v′′ = 4) → A3Σ+ u (v′ = 0–4) is corrected to W3 u(v′′ = 4) → A3Σ+ u (v′ = 0–4) 4. Section 3, second paragraph, line 16: W3 −u is corrected to W3 u 5. Updated Ref. 2 is as follows: V.V. Khmelenko, I.N. Krushinskaya, R.E. Boltnev, I.B. Bykhalo, A.A. Pelmenev, D.M. Lee, Low Temp. Phys. 38, 871 (2012).

We describe a method for creating a high flux beam of cold atoms and molecules. By using this beam method, spectroscopic studies of the afterglow of oxygen-helium gas mixtures at cryogenic temperatures were performed. The cooling by helium vapor of a helium jet containing trace amounts of oxygen after passing through a radiofrequency discharge zone led to the observation of strong emissions from atomic oxygen. The effect results from the increased efficiency of energy transfer from metastable helium atoms and molecules to the atomic oxygen in the cold dense helium vapor. The effect might find application for the detection of small quantities of impurities in helium gas as well as possible laser action.

Impurity-Helium condensates (IHCs) containing krypton and hydrogen atoms have been studied in superfluid helium-4 via CW ESR techniques. The IHCs studied in this work are gel-like aggregates of nanoclusters composed of krypton and hydrogen atoms. We have found that such samples contain very high average concentrations of hydrogen atoms (~1018cm-3) as obtained by integration of the microwave absorption signal. Local concentrations (~1019cm-3) of H atoms were calculated from the ESR line width. Detailed studies of the ESR line shapes lead to the conclusion that a large fraction of the H atoms lies on the krypton cluster surfaces.

New experimental results on detection of optical spectra and ion currents during destruction of impurity–helium condensates (IHCs) have been obtained. It is shown that emission during IHC sample destruction is accompanied by current pulses, pressure peaks and temperature changes. The molecular bands of excimer molecules XeO* are assigned to molecules stabilized in films of molecular nitrogen covering the heavier cores of impurity clusters which form impurity–helium condensates.