1210.1578 (J. E. Hirsch)

Kinetic energy driven superfluidity and superconductivity and the origin
of the Meissner effect    [PDF]

J. E. Hirsch

Superfluidity and superconductivity have many elements in common. However, I argue that their most important commonality has been overlooked: that both are kinetic energy driven. Clear evidence that superfluidity in $^4He$ is kinetic energy driven is the shape of the $\lambda$ transition and the negative thermal expansion coefficient below $T_\lambda$. Clear evidence that superconductivity is kinetic energy driven is the Meissner effect: I argue that otherwise the Meissner effect would not take place. Associated with this physics I predict that superconductors expel negative charge from the interior to the surface and that a spin current exists in the ground state of superconductors (spin Meissner effect). I propose that this common physics of superconductors and superfluids originates in rotational zero point motion. This view of superconductivity and superfluidity implies that rotational zero-point motion is a fundamental property of the quantum world that is missed in the current understanding.

View original: http://arxiv.org/abs/1210.1578