C. Raman

Realization of Bose-Einstein condensates in lower dimensions.

Bose-Einstein condensates of sodium atoms have been prepared in optical and magnetic traps in which the energy-level spacing in one or two dimensions exceeds the interaction energy between atoms, realizing condensates of lower dimensionality. The crossover into two-dimensional and one-dimensional condensates was observed by a change in aspect ratio and by the release energy converging to a nonzero value when the number of trapped atoms was reduced.

Evidence for a Critical Velocity in a Bose-Einstein Condensed Gas

We have studied dissipation in a Bose-Einstein condensed gas by moving a blue detuned laser beam through the condensate at different velocities. Strong heating was observed only above a critical velocity.

Observation of Superfluid Flow in a Bose-Einstein Condensed Gas

We have studied the hydrodynamic flow in a Bose-Einstein condensate stirred by a macroscopic object, a blue-detuned laser beam, using nondestructive in situ phase contrast imaging. A critical velocity for the onset of a pressure gradient has been observed, and shown to be density dependent. The technique has been compared to a calorimetric method used previously to measure the heating induced by the motion of the laser beam.

Formation and decay of vortex lattices in Bose-Einstein condensates at finite temperatures

The dynamics of vortex lattices in stirred Bose-Einstein condensates have been studied at finite temperatures. The decay of the vortex lattice was observed nondestructively by monitoring the centrifugal distortions of the rotating condensate. The formation of the vortex lattice could be deduced from the increasing contrast of the vortex cores observed in ballistic expansion. In contrast to the decay, the formation of the vortex lattice is insensitive to temperature change.

Dissipationless Flow and Superfluidity in Gaseous Bose-Einstein Condensates

We study dissipation in a dilute Bose gas induced by the motion of a macroscopic object. A blue-detuned laser beam focused on the center of a trapped gas of sodium atoms was scanned both above and below the BEC transition temperature. The measurements allow for a comparison between the heating rates for the superfluid and normal gas.

Collective enhancement and suppression in Bose-Einstein condensates

The coherent and collective nature of Bose-Einstein condensate can enhance or suppress physical processes. Bosonic stimulation enhances scattering in already occupied states which leads to atom amplification, and the suppression of dissipation leads to superfluidity. In this paper, we review several experiments where suppression and enhancement have been observed and discuss the common roots of and differences between these phenomena.

Collisions at nanokelvin temperatures in Bose-Einstein condensates

Bose-Einstein condensed atomic gases are a new class of quantum fluids. They are produced by cooling a dilute atomic gas to nanokelvin temperatures using laser and evaporative cooling techniques. In this paper we review developments in Bose-Einstein condensation, emphasizing how this new quantum fluid has become a laboratory for the study of collisions at ultralow energy and of collective effects in light-atom and atom-atom interactions. Magnetic fields have been used to modify the scattering length for atomic collisions. Spinor condensates were created, with a spin structure determined by spin relaxation collisions and external magnetic fields. We have used light scattering to study collective excitations and observed superradiant light emission. Dissipation was studied by dragging a repulsive, blue-detuned laser beam through the fluid, as well as by inducing collisions between condensates.