Latest News We have a YouTube Channel Go there...       Dr. Taborek      Dr. Rutledge      Publications      Students      Postdocs      Alumni      Current Research      Contact Us      Handbook      UCI      Physical Sciences      Physics Dept.   The Low Temperature Materials Laboratory is co-directed by Prof. P. Taborek and Prof. J. Rutledge. The Laboratory is part of the Condensed Matter Physics group in the Department of Physics at University of California, Irvine. In particular, the members of the Laboratory are interested in critical phenomena, 2-D quantum fluids and fundamental studies of phase transitions near a surface. This includes issues like helium wetting, the Casimir force, surface dynamics, and sticking and growth mechanisms. The experimental effort in the Laboratory involves projects in applied materials science, for example development of clathrate hydrates. We are also in the process of building our own low temperature Atomic Force Microscope(AFM) to study friction and the Casimir force. Addtionally, we have a high speed camera that allows us to study the breakup of fluids, including bubbles and non-Newtonian fluids.      Pinch-off phenomena of both normal and superfluid helium   droplets have become a topic of interest in our laboratory   since the construction of our new Helium-4 optical cryostat.   Using a laser triggering mechanism in conjunction with   a 10-microsecond flash, we have been able to photograph   never-before-seen images of helium droplets poised to   pinch off from various surfaces.    `   Interestingly enough, the geometry of the surface the   drop is hanging from plays a large role in determining   the length of the liquid stalk on which the larger drop   is connected.   See the video   A magnified view of a superfluid helium-4 droplet All material on this site is the intellectual property of the Taborek/Rutledge research group.