Bose-Einstein

Condensation in Weakly
Interacting Gases
Dr. Cammerata
Bose-Einstein Condensation in
Weakly Interacting Gases

 Definition
 BEC
 Statistics
 Condensation Criteria
 Achieving Critical Temperature

 Elements of the discovery in weakly interacting

gases
 Laser Trapping
 Magnetic confinement
 Evaporative Cooling
Bose-Einstein Condensation in
Weakly Interacting Gases

 Definition
 BEC
 Statistics
 Condensation Criteria
 Achieving Critical Temperature

 Elements of the discovery in weakly interacting

gases
 Laser Trapping
 Magnetic confinement
 Evaporative Cooling
 BEC: Definition
Lasers
 Bose-Einstein Condensation
is a phase of matter formed
by bosons cooled below a
critical temperature forming
a coherent quantum state.
 Photons
 Strongly Interacting Systems
 Weakly Interacting Systems

Atomic Gases Superfluid / Superconductor

How do you cool a gas without it condensing to a liquid?

Bose-Einstein Condensation in
Weakly Interacting Gases

 Definition
 BEC
 Statistics
 Condensation Criteria
 Achieving Critical Temperature

 Elements of the discovery in weakly interacting

gases
 Laser Trapping
 Magnetic confinement
 Evaporative Cooling
Bose-Einstein Statistics
Partition Function

∞
1
Z = ∑e
ni = 0
− βni ( ε i − µ )
=
1− e − β (ε i − µ )
β = 1k T
B

Mean Occupancy

1  ∂ ln( Z i )  1
ni =   = β (ε i − µ )
β  ∂µ  e −1
Bose-Einstein Statistics (Continued)
dN = ni ⋅ dτ
g g 3 3
dτ = dp dp dp dxdydz = d p ⋅ d x
( 2π ) 3 ( 2π ) 3
x y z

gV 4πp 2
dτ = dp
(2π ) 3

p2
ε=
2m

3/ 2 ∞
gVm ε ⋅ dε
2 3 ∫ β (ε − µ )
N=
2π  0 e −1
Bose-Einstein Condensation
Einstein Condensation Temperature: μ = 0

∞ ∞
gVm 3 / 2 ε ⋅ dε gV (mkT ) 3 / 2 z ⋅ dz
2 3 ∫ ε k BT ∫
N= =
2π  0 e −1 2π 2  3 0
e z −1
∞
z x −1 ⋅ dz
∫0 e z − 1 = Γ( x) ⋅ ζ ( x) For x >1

gV (mkT ) 3 / 2 3 Γ( 32 ) ⋅ ζ ( 32 ) = π ⋅ 2.612
N= Γ ( 2 ) ⋅ ζ ( 2)
3 1
2
2π 
2 3

2
2π 2
 ρ  3
ρ=
N
TE = ⋅  V
mk B  2.612 
Bose-Einstein Condensation
(Continued)

Ground State Continuum

N = N ε =0 + N ε >0 N
Nε >0
3

T  2
T < TE
N ε >0 = N  
 TE 
Nε =0
 T 
3

 2

T < TE
N ε =0 = N 1 −    TE T
  TE  
 
Bose-Einstein Condensation:
Thermal Wavelength
2
2π2
 ρ  3
TE = ⋅ 
mk B  2.612 
3
 2.612  h
  = = λT
 ρ  2πmk BTE
Wavefunction Extent
ρλT < 2.612
3 in momentum space
=>
“Wavelength”

A Wavelength larger than the spacing between

particles
implies that the wave functions overlap
Bose-Einstein Condensation:
Thermal Wavelength
Spacing

Spacing becomes smaller

than “wavelength”

Particles described by
a single wavefunction

The overlap is NOT in configuration space but in

momentum space
Bose-Einstein Condensation in
Weakly Interacting Gases

 Definition
 BEC
 Statistics
 Condensation Criteria
 Achieving Critical Temperature

 Elements of the discovery in weakly interacting

gases
 Laser Trapping
 Magnetic confinement
 Evaporative Cooling
Laser Trapping
Pioneered by Steven Chu, Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, William Phillips.
Shared Nobel Prize in 1997.

Use of lasers to achieve temperatures down to micro-Kelvin.

"Sisyphus cooling" or "optical molasses”

The laser cooling faced a hurdle known as the Doppler limit.

Laser Trapping
How do you trap atoms with lasers?

Recognize that atoms resonantly absorb light at specific frequencies

E2 − E1 = ∆E = ω1

AND

Light has momentum

pc E
ω1 = =
 
Laser Trapping (Continued)
E ω1
p= =
c c

 ( ω1 − δ )
c

N ⋅ ( ω1 − δ )
c
N photons

Set the frequency just beneath the resonance frequency.

Equivalent to stopping a bowling ball with N ping pong
Laser Trapping (Continued)

Cooling can occur down to a Doppler limit.

Further cooling requires additional techniques.
Magneto-Optical Trap (MOT)
Introduce "Anti-Helmholtz" coils

Magnetic field helps to further confine the momentum, p, of the

atoms.
Evaporative Cooling
Kleppner and Greytak; Pritchard

“Turn off that light!”

Overcomes the Doppler limit as the remaining atoms comprise a

SYSTEM of much lower momentum, p.
Bose-Einstein Condensation
Cornell, Wieman and Ketterle shared Nobel Prize in 2001

Cornell and Wieman

Rubidium vapor, T → 20 nK, N ≈ 2000 atoms
Ketterle
Sodium vapor, T → 100 nK, N ≈ 500000 atoms
Bose-Einstein Condensation
Successive occurrence of Bose-Einstein condensation in rubidium. From left to right is shown the
atomic distribution in the cloud just prior to condensation, at the start of condensation and after full
condensation. High peaks correspond to a large number of atoms. Silhouettes of the expanding
atom cloud were recorded 6 ms after switching off the confining forces of the atom trap.