Possible stimulation of nuclear alpha-decay by superfluid helium

Abstract

It is suggested that superfluid helium (condensate of 4-He atoms) may stimulate nuclear alpha-decay in a situation when an alpha-emitter moves through superfluid helium with fine-tuned velocity, so that the backward-emitted alpha-particle is at rest in the laboratory frame. It is shown that the probability of stimulated alpha-decay in this case may be sizable enough to be detected.

Comments: 5 pages, LaTeX, final published version in Phys. Rev. Lett. 103 (2009)