BoseEinstein condensation on a microelectronic chip

Hänsel W, Hommelhoff P, Hänsch T, Reichel J (2001)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2001

Journal

Nature Nature Publishing Group

Publisher: Nature Publishing Group

Book Volume: 413

Pages Range: 498-501

URI: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v413/n6855/abs/413498a0.html

DOI: 10.1038/35097032

Abstract

Although Bose-Einstein condensates of ultracold atoms have been experimentally realizable for several years, their formation and manipulation still impose considerable technical challenges. An all-optical technique that enables faster production of Bose-Einstein condensates was recently reported. Here we demonstrate that the formation of a condensate can be greatly simplified using a microscopic magnetic trap on a chip. We achieve Bose-Einstein condensation inside the single vapour cell of a magneto-optical trap in as little as 700 ms - more than a factor of ten faster than typical experiments, and a factor of three faster than the all-optical technique. A coherent matter wave is emitted normal to the chip surface when the trapped atoms are released into free fall; alternatively, we couple the condensate into an 'atomic conveyor belt', which is used to transport the condensed cloud non-destructively over a macroscopic distance parallel to the chip surface. The possibility of manipulating laser-like coherent matter waves with such an integrated atom-optical system holds promise for applications in interferometry, holography, microscopy, atom lithography and quantum information processing.

Authors with CRIS profile

Peter Hommelhoff Lehrstuhl für Laserphysik

Involved external institutions

Menlo Systems GmbH

Germany (DE) Max-Planck-Institute of Quantum Optics (MPQ) / Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik

Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Hänsel, W., Hommelhoff, P., Hänsch, T., & Reichel, J. (2001). Bose–Einstein condensation on a microelectronic chip. Nature, 413, 498-501. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/35097032

MLA:

Hänsel, Wolfgang, et al. "Bose–Einstein condensation on a microelectronic chip." Nature 413 (2001): 498-501.