This scenario is a theoretical model describing the time evolution of various properties of the early universe following the Big Bang. The model treats the BigBang as an order-disorder phase transition
Following the phase transition, the system is rapidly cooled into the ordered state. Under these non-equilibrium conditions, the emerging order parameter is not uniform in space and contains topological defects. The density of these defects should increase with the rate of the quench, as the system is further away from an equilibrium state.
To test this scenario in the lab, we used the metal-superconductor phase transition as a model system. In this case, the “defects” of the order parameter which should appear below the transition are magnetic flux quanta. The students involved in this project were Raz Carmi, Ariel Maniv and Daniel Golubchik. The picture shows a Magneto-Optical image of magnetic flux and anti-flux quanta generated spontaneously inside a thin Nb film quenched through the transition into the superconducting state at a rate of 4X108 K/sec. Such rapid quench rates are necessary to generate enough defects for statistical analysis.