A low-frequency, high-amplitude, torsional oscillator for turbulence studies in quantum fluids

Abstract: We describe a new type of torsional oscillator, suitable for studies of quantum fluids at frequencies of $\sim$ $100$ Hz, but capable of reaching high velocities of up to several cm\,s$<sup>{-1}$. This requires the oscillator amplitude to exceed $100$ $\mu m$, which is much too large for a conventional capacitor-driven device. We describe the new geometry for the oscillator, discuss its design, and report our initial tests of its performance.