Observation of Bose–Einstein condensates in an Earth-orbiting research lab

Abstract

Quantum mechanics governs the microscopic world, where low mass and momentum reveal a natural wave-particle duality. Magnifying quantum behaviour to macroscopic scales is a major strength of the technique of cooling and trapping atomic gases, in which low momentum is engineered through extremely low temperatures. Advances in this field have achieved such precise control over atomic systems that gravity, often negligible when considering individual atoms, has emerged as a substantial obstacle. In particular, although weaker trapping fields would allow access to lower temperatures 1,2, gravity empties atom traps that are too weak. Additionally, inertial sensors based on cold atoms could reach better sensitivities if the free-fall time of the atoms after release from the trap could be made longer 3. Planetary orbit, specifically the condition of perpetual free-fall, offers to lift cold-atom studies beyond such terrestrial limitations. Here we report production of rubidium Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) in an Earth-orbiting research laboratory, the Cold Atom Lab. We observe subnanokelvin BECs in weak trapping potentials with free-expansion times extending beyond one second, providing an initial demonstration of the advantages offered by a microgravity environment for cold-atom experiments and verifying the successful operation of this facility. With routine BEC production, continuing operations will support long-term investigations of trap topologies unique to microgravity 4,5, atom-laser sources 6, few-body physics 7,8 and pathfinding techniques for atom-wave interferometry 9-12.