Exploration of Vacancies in Solid $4^$He

Experiments by Kim and Chan [1] have renewed interest in the understanding of supersolids and whether mechanisms exist in solid $^4He$ to allow for supersolid-like effects. Ground state vacancies would lead to bose condensation and superfluidity. Using Path Integral Monte Carlo we examine vacancy formation energies, vacancy-vacancy interactions and the effect of vacancies on supersolid behavior in solid $^4He$. \newline \newline [1] E. Kim and M. H. Chan, Science {\bf 305}, 1941 (2004).