Institut für Theoretische Physik und Astrophysik

Universität Würzburg

Bose-Einstein Condensation
M.N.Kiselev
 Experimental observation of BEC
In dilute gases of Alkali metals

Annual number of published papers, which have

the words “Bose” and “Einstein” in their title,
abstracts or keywords (ISI database)
 Nobel Prize in Physics 2001

For the achievement of Bose-Einstein Condensation in dilute gases of Alkali metals…

Eric A.Cornell (USA), Wolfgang Ketterle (Germany), Carl E. Wieman (USA)

 Outlook

• Symmetry properties of many-particle

wave functions: Fermions and Bosons.
• Statistics of Bosons:
Bose-Einstein distribution function.
• Ideal Bose gas. Bose-Einstein Condensation.
• Thermodynamics of the Ideal Bose gas.
• Weakly interacting Bose gas.
• Experiments and perspectives.

*) I acknowledge the use of materials and slides from W.Ketterle Nobel Lecture 2001 and his talk
given at MIT’s Teachers Program 24/06/03. Some pictures were lent to me by courtesy of W.Ketterle.
3 particles, total energy = 3 (Arbitrary units)
3
2 Identical,
1 but classically distinguishable
0

3
2
1
0

3 3 10%
2 6 20%
1 9 30%
0 12 40%
3 particles, total energy = 3 (Arbitrary units)
3
2
1
0

3
2
1
0

3
2
1
0
3 particles, total energy = 3 (Arbitrary units)
3
2
1
0

3
2
1
0

3
2
1
0
3 particles, total energy = 3 (Arbitrary units)
3
Identical,
2
indistinguishable
1
0

3
2
1
0

3
2
1
0
3 particles, total energy = 3 (Arbitrary units)
Bosons
3
2
1
0

3
2
1
0

3
2
1
0
3 particles, total energy = 3 (Arbitrary units)
Bosons
3
2
1
0

3
2
1
0
bosons classical
3 1 11% 10%
2 1 11% 20%
1 4 44% 30%
0 3 33% 40%
3 particles, total energy = 3 (Arbitrary units)
Classical
3
2 10 % probability
for triple occupancy
1
0

3
2
1
0

3
2 30 % probability
1 for double occupancy
0
3 particles, total energy = 3 (Arbitrary units)
Bosons
3
2 33 % probability
for triple occupancy
1
0

3
2 Bosons like to get together!
1
0

3
2 33 % probability
1 for double occupancy
0
 Thermodynamics of 3-dimensional Ideal Bose Gas.

⎛ ⎛ T ⎞3/ 2 ⎞ ∞
k 2 dk 2 k 2 1
Nε =0 = N ⎜1 − ⎜ ⎟ ⎟ , E = ∑ ε k nk = V ∫
⎜ ⎝ Tc ⎠ ⎟ 2 π 2
2m ⎛ 2k 2 ⎞
⎝ ⎠ ⎟ −1
k 0
exp ⎜
⎝ 2mk BT ⎠
3/ 2
⎛T ⎞ m3/ 2 (k BT )5/ 2
E = 0.770 Nk BT ⎜ ⎟ = 0.1289 3
V,
⎝ Tc ⎠
⎛ ∂E ⎞ 5E 2
F = E − TS = − E
CV = ⎜ ⎟ = ,
⎝ ∂T ⎠V 2T 3

⎛ ∂F ⎞
T 3/ 2
CV 5E m (k BT )5/ 2
S = ∫ dT = P = −⎜ ⎟ = 0.0851
⎝ ∂V ⎠T
3
0
T 3T
Pressure does not depend on the volume
T →0
P ⎯⎯⎯ →0
 Summary:

2/3
⎛N⎞
2
T < Tc = 3.31 ⎜ ⎟ particles start to collect at lowest energy until at T=0 they are all there
mk B ⎝ V ⎠

Bose Gas undergoes a phase transition without any interaction!

All the thermodynamic quantities are continuous at the transition point.

3rd - order phase transition

N0 Order parameter CV λ -point in He4

Tc − T

Tc T Tc T
 Weakly-interacting Bose Gas
a 4π 2
d
U (q) ≈ a
m
Weak interactions: a d a – scattering length,
d – average distance
p2
Ideal Bose Gas ε ( p) =
2m
⎧ p p2 2
n0 a 3
2
⎪⎪ 4π n 0 a ,
Interacting 4π n 0 a 2 2 ⎛ p 2 ⎞ m 2m ma 2 N
ε ( p) = p +⎜ ⎟ ≈⎨ n0 =
Bose Gas m2 ⎝ 2 m ⎠ ⎪ p2 p2 2
n0 a 3 V
,
⎪⎩ 2m 2m ma 2

1/ 2
N 8 3/ 2 ⎛ N ⎞ Particles of a non-ideal Bose gas do not
≈ 1− a ⎜ ⎟ all have zero momentum,
N0 3 π ⎝V ⎠ even in the ground state.
Ordinary light Laser light

divergent diffraction limited (directional)

incoherent coherent
many small waves one big wave
many modes single mode (monochromatic)
 Ordinary gas Bose-Einstein
condensate

atoms move around randomly atoms in a coherent state

divergent diffraction limited (directional)

incoherent coherent
many small waves one big wave
many modes single mode (monochromatic)
Possible candidates for the experimental observation of the
Bose-Einstein Condensation
U
Spin polarized hydrogen
2/3
⎛N⎞
2
Tc = 3.31 ⎜ ⎟
2mk B ⎝ V ⎠
R
Atomic Hydrogen
molecular
H2 crystal
Helium Only 8% of particles in the condensate

Strongly interacting Bose system!

electron
Excitons in semiconductors Strong many-body effects
hole
BEC @ JILA, June ‘95
(Rubidium)

BEC @ MIT, Sept. ‘95 (Sodium)

 Distribution function
Sodium, MIT Group,
September 1995

∼ 106 particles in BEC

Tc ∼ 1µ K
field of view
200 µ m × 270µ m

Distribution function
time – 1/20 s

Rubidium, JILA Group,

June 1995

∼ 103 particles in BEC

JILA –Joint Institute for

Laboratory Astrophysics
λdB = h/pT ∝ T -1/2
 BEC=Tool for knowledge BEC=Tool for applications

Condensed matter physics Metrology

Many-body physics • Atomic clocks
Statistical physics • Matter wave sensors
• Superfluidity
• Quantum gases
• Mesoscopic physics

Collisional physics
• Ultracold collisions
• Cold chemistry

Quantum optics
• Coherence of atoms Visionary long-term goals
• Atom laser • Atom deposition – nanotechnology
• Entanglement • Concepts for quantum computer