Title :
Towards Bose-Einstein condensation with metastable helium atoms
Author :
Nowak, S. ; Browaeys, A. ; Poupard, J. ; Robert, A. ; Boiron, D. ; Westbrook, C. ; Aspect, A.
Author_Institution :
Lab. Charles Fabry, Centre Univ. d´Orsay, France
Abstract :
Summary form only given. Until now Bose-Einstein condensation has only been achieved for atoms in the first group of the periodic table. The goal of our experiment is to obtain this phase transition in a gas of ultra-cold metastable (2 /sup 3/S/sub 1/) helium atoms, using a combination of laser cooling, magnetic trapping and evaporative cooling. Dense cold samples of metastable helium are a well-suited tool for surface potential studies and precision measurements.
Keywords :
Bose-Einstein condensation; helium neutral atoms; laser cooling; magneto-optical effects; metastable states; radiation pressure; Bose-Einstein condensation; He; dense cold samples; evaporative cooling; laser cooling; magnetic trapping; metastable helium atoms; phase transition; precision measurements; surface potential studies; ultra-cold metastable (2 /sup 3/S/sub 1/) helium atoms; Atom lasers; Atom optics; Atomic beams; Helium; Laser modes; Laser theory; Metastasis; Open systems; Robustness; Steady-state;
Conference_Titel :
Quantum Electronics Conference, 2000. Conference Digest. 2000 International
Conference_Location :
Nice, France
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-6318-3
DOI :
10.1109/IQEC.2000.907930
