07/14/08

BEC in crossed Dipole trap (2007)

New!              BEC in 1D Optical lattice (2008)

Highlights of work (2005-2008)

Summary of work (2005-2008)

Press Reports:

Bose-Einstein feat in India(The Telegraph)

    The main area of research in the group is the   experimental study of quantum vacuum. We study the effects of Quantum Vacuum on matter employing ultra-cold atoms and torsion balances. We have recently added a Bose-Einstein Condensate of  ⁸⁷Rb as a physical system for these studies.

                                                                                                             Fig. 1        

We are also interested in studies on quantum   dynamics of single atoms or a few number of atoms trapped in optical lattices and near optical cavities. We plan to make a comparative study of atomic ensemble averages and time averages on a single quantum system.  

      Formation of a Bose-Einstein condensate  in a crossed optical dipole trap

                            Fig. 2                                                     Fig. 3   

Pictures:

Fig. 1.  Absorption Image of Bose-Einstein Condensate produced in a CO₂ laser crossed optical dipole trap with 10⁵ atoms in the condensate.

Fig. 2. Fluorescence image of 2D⁺MOT source of cold, intense atomic beam of Rubidium atoms with a high flux of 2×10¹⁰ atoms/s which can load a 3D-MOT to 1.2×10¹⁰ atoms within 500 ms.

Fig. 3. Ultra-cold Rubidium atoms  in a Magneto-optic trap with a high atom number of 1.2×10¹⁰ atoms viewed with CCD camera through a port of the vacuum chamber.

True color picture of the high density Rubidium MOT as visible to the eye, taken using a digital still camera.