Anthony J. Leggett

Nobel Lecture

Superfluid 3-He: The Early Days as Seen by a Theorist

Anthony J. Leggett held his Nobel Lecture December 8, 2003, at Aula Magna, Stockholm University. He was presented by Professor Mats Jonson, Chairman of the Nobel Committee for Physics.

Summary: Helium exists in two stable forms: the normal Helium-4 with two neutrons and two protons, and Helium-3 with one neutron and two protons. The two show very different superconducting properties at very low temperatures. The anomalous superfluidity of Helium-3 is explained using the principles of quantum mechanics. An analogy between ferro-magnets and liquid Helium-3 is used to explain the theory of superfluid Helium-3.

Superfluid 3-He: The Early Days as Seen by a Theorist

Anthony J. Leggett held his Nobel Lecture December 8, 2003, at Aula Magna, Stockholm University. He was presented by Professor Mats Jonson, Chairman of the Nobel Committee for Physics.

Read the Nobel Lecture
Pdf 205 kB

Copyright © The Nobel Foundation 2003

From Les Prix Nobel. The Nobel Prizes 2003, Editor Tore Frängsmyr, [Nobel Foundation], Stockholm, 2004

To cite this section
MLA style: Anthony J. Leggett – Nobel Lecture. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach AB 2024. Fri. 17 May 2024. <https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/2003/leggett/lecture/>

Back to top Back To Top Takes users back to the top of the page

Nobel Prizes and laureates

Eleven laureates were awarded a Nobel Prize in 2023, for achievements that have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind. Their work and discoveries range from effective mRNA vaccines and attosecond physics to fighting against the oppression of women.

See them all presented here.
Illustration

Explore prizes and laureates

Look for popular awards and laureates in different fields, and discover the history of the Nobel Prize.