Latest News We have a YouTube Channel Go there...       Dr. Taborek      Publications      Students      Postdocs      Alumni      Current Research      Contact Us      Handbook      UCI      Physical Sciences      Physics Dept.   Cesium - A highly-reactive alkali metal. It has a melting point of approximately 83º F and explodes when put into contact with water. It is of notable interest in the study of superfluids because Cesium is the only element known which superfluid helium will not wet. Cryostat - An apparatus for maintaining a constant low temperature especially below 0°C. Its appearance resembles that of a giant thermos bottle. Ellipsometry - A noninvasive in-situ technique that relies upon the polarization shift of a reflected beam to measure the properties of the reflecting surface, particularly the index of refraction and film thickness. Insert - The experimental cell and associated plumbing which fits into a cryostat. Optical Cryostat - a cryostat outfitted with glass viewports which allow direct observations of low temperature phenomena. QCM - Quartz Crystal Microbalance A device which uses a piezoelectric quartz crystal to measure the mass of an object in vacuum at low temperature. Superfluid - an unusual state of matter noted only in liquid helium cooled to near absolute zero and characterized by apparently frictionless flow (as through fine holes) All material on this site is the intellectual property of the Taborek/Rutledge research group.