Observation of Bose-Einstein Condensation in a Dilute Atomic Vapor
14 Jul 1995-Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science)-Vol. 269, Iss: 5221, pp 198-201
TL;DR: A Bose-Einstein condensate was produced in a vapor of rubidium-87 atoms that was confined by magnetic fields and evaporatively cooled and exhibited a nonthermal, anisotropic velocity distribution expected of the minimum-energy quantum state of the magnetic trap in contrast to the isotropic, thermal velocity distribution observed in the broad uncondensed fraction.
Abstract: A Bose-Einstein condensate was produced in a vapor of rubidium-87 atoms that was confined by magnetic fields and evaporatively cooled. The condensate fraction first appeared near a temperature of 170 nanokelvin and a number density of 2.5 x 10 12 per cubic centimeter and could be preserved for more than 15 seconds. Three primary signatures of Bose-Einstein condensation were seen. (i) On top of a broad thermal velocity distribution, a narrow peak appeared that was centered at zero velocity. (ii) The fraction of the atoms that were in this low-velocity peak increased abruptly as the sample temperature was lowered. (iii) The peak exhibited a nonthermal, anisotropic velocity distribution expected of the minimum-energy quantum state of the magnetic trap in contrast to the isotropic, thermal velocity distribution observed in the broad uncondensed fraction.
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TL;DR: A review of the current state of the art in the research field of cold and ultracold molecules can be found in this paper, where a discussion is based on recent experimental and theoretical work and concludes with a summary of anticipated future directions and open questions in rapidly expanding research field.
Abstract: This paper presents a review of the current state of the art in the research field of cold and ultracold molecules. It serves as an introduction to the focus issue of New Journal of Physics on Cold and Ultracold Molecules and describes new prospects for fundamental research and technological development. Cold and ultracold molecules may revolutionize physical chemistry and few-body physics, provide techniques for probing new states of quantum matter, allow for precision measurements of both fundamental and applied interest, and enable quantum simulations of condensed-matter phenomena. Ultracold molecules offer promising applications such as new platforms for quantum computing, precise control of molecular dynamics, nanolithography and Bose-enhanced chemistry. The discussion is based on recent experimental and theoretical work and concludes with a summary of anticipated future directions and open questions in this rapidly expanding research field.
1,228 citations
Cites background from "Observation of Bose-Einstein Conden..."
...These techniques take advantage of the enormous power of existing methods in laser cooling and evaporative cooling[324, 325, 326] for producing samples of ultracold atoms....
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..., evaporative and sympathetic) cooling, an essential tool in the production of quantum degenerate atomic samples [324, 325, 326, 327, 328], may be extended to polar molecules, with the goal of producing quantum-degenerate gases with strong dipolar interactions [329]....
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TL;DR: The development of wave optics for light brought many new insights into our understanding of physics, driven by fundamental experiments like the ones by Young, Fizeau, Michelson-Morley and others as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: The development of wave optics for light brought many new insights into our understanding of physics, driven by fundamental experiments like the ones by Young, Fizeau, Michelson-Morley and others. Quantum mechanics, and especially the de Broglie’s postulate relating the momentum p of a particle to the wave vector k of an matter wave: k = 2 λ = p/ℏ, suggested that wave optical experiments should be also possible with massive particles (see table 1), and over the last 40 years electron and neutron interferometers have demonstrated many fundamental aspects of quantum mechanics [1].
1,194 citations
TL;DR: This review looks at the concepts and state-of-the-art concerning the strong coupling of surface plasmon-polariton modes to states associated with quantum emitters such as excitons in J-aggregates, dye molecules and quantum dots.
Abstract: In this review we look at the concepts and state-of-the-art concerning the strong coupling of surface plasmon-polariton modes to states associated with quantum emitters such as excitons in J-aggregates, dye molecules and quantum dots. We explore the phenomenon of strong coupling with reference to a number of examples involving electromagnetic fields and matter. We then provide a concise description of the relevant background physics of surface plasmon polaritons. An extensive overview of the historical background and a detailed discussion of more recent relevant experimental advances concerning strong coupling between surface plasmon polaritons and quantum emitters is then presented. Three conceptual frameworks are then discussed and compared in depth: classical, semi-classical and fully quantum mechanical; these theoretical frameworks will have relevance to strong coupling beyond that involving surface plasmon polaritons. We conclude our review with a perspective on the future of this rapidly emerging field, one we are sure will grow to encompass more intriguing physics and will develop in scope to be of relevance to other areas of science.
1,190 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the Dicke phase transition in an open system formed by a Bose-Einstein condensate coupled to an optical cavity has been realized, and the phase transition is driven by infinitely long-range interactions between the condensed atoms, induced by two-photon processes involving the cavity mode and a pump field.
Abstract: A phase transition describes the sudden change of state of a physical system, such as melting or freezing. Quantum gases provide the opportunity to establish a direct link between experiments and generic models that capture the underlying physics. The Dicke model describes a collective matter-light interaction and has been predicted to show an intriguing quantum phase transition. Here we realize the Dicke quantum phase transition in an open system formed by a Bose-Einstein condensate coupled to an optical cavity, and observe the emergence of a self-organized supersolid phase. The phase transition is driven by infinitely long-range interactions between the condensed atoms, induced by two-photon processes involving the cavity mode and a pump field. We show that the phase transition is described by the Dicke Hamiltonian, including counter-rotating coupling terms, and that the supersolid phase is associated with a spontaneously broken spatial symmetry. The boundary of the phase transition is mapped out in quantitative agreement with the Dicke model. Our results should facilitate studies of quantum gases with long-range interactions and provide access to novel quantum phases.
1,148 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: In this article, a microwave cavity optomechanical system was realized by coupling the motion of an aluminum membrane to the resonance frequency of a superconducting circuit, and damping and cooling the membrane motion with radiation pressure forces.
Abstract: Accessing the full quantum nature of a macroscopic mechanical oscillator first requires elimination of its classical, thermal motion. The flourishing field of cavity optomechanics provides a nearly ideal architecture for both preparation and detection of mechanical motion at the quantum level. We realize a microwave cavity optomechanical system by coupling the motion of an aluminum membrane to the resonance frequency of a superconducting circuit [1]. By exciting the microwave circuit below its resonance frequency, we damp and cool the membrane motion with radiation pressure forces, analogous to laser cooling of the motion of trapped ions. The microwave excitation serves not only to cool, but also to monitor the displacement of the membrane. A nearly shot-noise limited, Josephson parametric amplifier is used to detect the mechanical sidebands of this microwave excitation and quantify the thermal motion as it is cooled with radiation pressure forces to its quantum ground state [2].
1,126 citations
References
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Proceedings Article•
14 Jul 1996TL;DR: The striking signature of Bose condensation was the sudden appearance of a bimodal velocity distribution below the critical temperature of ~2µK.
Abstract: Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) has been observed in a dilute gas of sodium atoms. A Bose-Einstein condensate consists of a macroscopic population of the ground state of the system, and is a coherent state of matter. In an ideal gas, this phase transition is purely quantum-statistical. The study of BEC in weakly interacting systems which can be controlled and observed with precision holds the promise of revealing new macroscopic quantum phenomena that can be understood from first principles.
3,530 citations
TL;DR: The confinement and cooling of an optically dense cloud of neutral sodium atoms by radiation pressure was reported, provided by three retroreflected laser beams propagating along orthogonal axes, with a weak magnetic field used to distinguish between the beams.
Abstract: We report the confinement and cooling of an optically dense cloud of neutral sodium atoms by radiation pressure. The trapping and damping forces were provided by three retroreflected laser beams propagating along orthogonal axes, with a weak magnetic field used to distinguish between the beams. We have trapped as many as ${10}^{7}$ atoms for 2 min at densities exceeding ${10}^{11}$ atoms ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$. The trap was \ensuremath{\simeq}0.4 K deep and the atoms, once trapped, were cooled to less than a millikelvin and compacted into a region less than 0.5 mm in diameter.
1,402 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe how the Phasenraum eines Lichtquants in bezug auf ein gegebenes Volumen wird in „Zellen“ von der Grose h3 aufgeteilt, i.e., the Zahl der moglichen Verteilungen der Lichtquanten einer makroskopisch definierten Strahlung unter diese Zellen liefert die Entropie.
Abstract: Der Phasenraum eines Lichtquants in bezug auf ein gegebenes Volumen wird in „Zellen“ von der Grose h3 aufgeteilt. Die Zahl der moglichen Verteilungen der Lichtquanten einer makroskopisch definierten Strahlung unter diese Zellen liefert die Entropie und damit alle thermodynamischen Eigenschaften der Strahlung.
1,329 citations
11 Jul 1988
TL;DR: This "Doppler cooling limit" results from the minimization of the detuning-dependent temperature at low laser power1.
Abstract: The generally accepted theory of laser cooling of free atoms predicts that the lowest achievable temperature is given by kaT = hγ/2, where kB is Boltzmann's constant arid γ is the natural linewidth of the transition for laser cooling. This "Doppler cooling limit" results from the minimization of the detuning-dependent temperature at low laser power1:
610 citations
"Observation of Bose-Einstein Conden..." refers background in this paper
...Of the three or four most prominent players in the development of laser cooling, two (David Wineland and Bill Phillips) are long-standing Bureau scientists; two of their most influential papers are described in this volume [6,7]....
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TL;DR: In this paper, an output coupler for Bose condensed atoms in a magnetic trap was demonstrated, where short pulses of rf radiation were used to create Bose condensates in a superposition of trapped and untrapped hyperfine states.
Abstract: We have demonstrated an output coupler for Bose condensed atoms in a magnetic trap. Short pulses of rf radiation were used to create Bose condensates in a superposition of trapped and untrapped hyperfine states. The fraction of out-coupled atoms was adjusted between 0% and 100% by varying the amplitude of the rf radiation. This configuration produces output pulses of coherent atoms and can be regarded as a pulsed ``atom laser.''
608 citations
"Observation of Bose-Einstein Conden..." refers background in this paper
...BEC is the starting point for this rapidly evolving technology— after atoms are cooled into a BEC, they are ejected out of the trap in a highly collimated, monoenergetic beam [16, 17]....
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