Bose-Einstein Condensation of Lithium: Observation of Limited Condensate Number

Bradley, C.C.; Sackett, C.A.; Hulet, R.G.

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.78.985

Bose-Einstein Condensation of Lithium: Observation of Limited Condensate Number

C.C. Bradley
(
- UC, Berkeley and
- Rice U.
)
,
C.A. Sackett
(
- UC, Berkeley and
- Rice U.
)
,
R.G. Hulet
(
- UC, Berkeley and
- Rice U.
)

Feb 10, 1997

4 pages

Published in:

Phys.Rev.Lett. 78 (1997) 985-989

DOI:

10.1103/PhysRevLett.78.985

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Abstract: (APS)

Bose-Einstein condensation of 7Li has been studied in a magnetically trapped gas. Because of the effectively attractive interactions between 7Li atoms, many-body quantum theory predicts that the occupation number of the condensate is limited to about 1400 atoms. We observe the condensate number to be limited to a maximum value between 650 and 1300 atoms. The measurements were made using a versatile phase-contrast imaging technique.