Generation of Large Vortex-Free Superfluid Helium Nanodroplets

Superfluid helium nanodroplets are an ideal environment for the formation of metastable, self-organized dopant nanostructures. However, the presence of vortices often hinders their formation. Here, we demonstrate the generation of vortex-free helium nanodroplets and explore the size range in which they can be produced. From x-ray diffraction images of xenon-doped droplets, we identify that single compact structures, assigned to vortex-free aggregation, prevail up to 108 atoms per droplet. This finding builds the basis for exploring the assembly of far-from-equilibrium nanostructures at low temperatures.

Automated summary

Superfluid helium nanodroplets provide an ideal environment for the formation of metastable self-organized dopant nanostructures, but the presence of vortices often hinders their formation. In this study, we demonstrate the generation of vortex-free helium nanodroplets and explore the size range in which they can be produced. By examining x-ray diffraction images of xenon-doped droplets, we find that vortex-free aggregation can prevail up to 108 atoms per droplet, providing a basis for exploring non-equilibrium nanostructure assembly at low temperatures.