Bose Einstein Condensates

6 EC

Semester 1, period 2

5354BOEC6Y

Owner Master Physics and Astronomy (joint degree)
Coordinator prof. dr. Florian Schreck
Part of Master Physics and Astronomy, track Advanced Matter and Energy Physics, year 1Master Physics and Astronomy, track Theoretical Physics, year 1Master Chemistry (joint degree), track Molecular Sciences, year 1

Course manual 2017/2018

Course content

This course gives a theoretical and experimental treatment of Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) in ultracold gases. At the end of the course, the student is able to derive and use the theory of Bose-Einstein condensation as well as the theory relevant for laser cooling and trapping and the creation of Bose-Einstein condensates. The student will know the basic building blocks of an ultracold quantum gas machine and how these building blocks interact to create and study BECs. This course lays the foundations to easily understand the Fermi gases / Quantum Simulation lecture (5354FEQG6Y) offered April to June by the same lecturers. Both courses together are an excellent starting point for a master thesis in condensed matter (theory or experiment) or in one of the labs exploring ultracold atoms, ions or molecules at VU, UvA, AMOLF or ARCNL.

Part I: Theory

  • Ultracold atomic gases.
  • Bose-Einstein condensation in an ideal gas.
  • Interacting Bose-Einstein condensates. 
  • Dynamics of Bose-Einstein condensates.
  • Elementary excitations.
  • Bose-Einstein condensates at finite temperatures. 
  • Two-dimensional Bose gases. 
  • Quantum vortices in Bose-condensed gases. 
  • True and quasi condensates in one-dimensional trapped gases.
  • Solitons in 1D Bose-condensed gases.
  • Strongly interacting 1D Bose gases.
  • Rapidly rotating Bose gases. 

Part II: Experiment

  • Ultracold quantum gases: What? Why? How? Labtour
  • Atom-laser interaction,  Bloch sphere
  • Dressed state picture, Optical Bloch equations
  • Light forces, Molasses cooling, Sisyphus cooling
  • Atomic beam oven, Zeeman slower, Magneto-optical trap
  • Optical dipole trap, Magnetic trap, Technology, Evaporative cooling
  • Characterizing a BEC

Study materials

Literature

  • R.P. Feynman, 'Statistical Mechanics'; K. Huang, 'Statistical Mechanics'.
  • Ph. Nozieres and D. Pines, 'Theory of quantum liquids', Vol II.
  • S. Stringari and L. Pitaevskii, 'Bose-Einstein condensation'.
  • C.J. Pethick and H. Smith, 'Bose-Einstein condensation in dilute gases'.
  • J.F. Annet, 'Superconductivity, Superfluids and Condensates'.
  • H. J. Metcalf and P. van der Straten, 'Laser Cooling and Trapping'
  • J. Dalibard, Atomes ultra-froids, www.phys.ens.fr/~dalibard/Notes_de_cours/ DEA_atomes_froids_actuel.pdf
  • D. Jervis and J. H. Thywissen, 'Making an ultracold gas', arXiv:1401.7659

Other

  • Lecture notes are available on Blackboard.

Objectives

In this course a theoretical and experimental treatment is given for the phenomena of Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) and superfluidity in Bose systems. In the theory part of the lecture we introduce the second quantization language and discuss the physical approximations resulting in standard model Hamiltonians for many-body systems. The phenomenon of BEC will be thoroughly discussed, together with its consequences for physical properties and macroscopic quantum behavior of the system. We also address the issues of BEC in low-dimensional systems, the role of finite-size effects, vortices and solitons, effects of rapid rotation. The lectures emphasize advances in theory and the description of the remarkable experimental progress with ultracold quantum gases over the last two decades. After attending the second part of the course, the student is able to mathematically describe atom-light interactions and apply them to laser cooling and trapping. (S)he will know all basic techniques to create and characterize ultracold quantum gases in the lab.

Teaching methods

  • Lecture
  • Self-study
  • Supervision/feedback meeting

Lecures and seminars.

Learning activities

Activity

Number of hours

Zelfstudie

168

Attendance

Requirements concerning attendance (OER-B).

  • In addition to, or instead of, classes in the form of lectures, the elements of the master’s examination programme often include a practical component as defined in article 1.2 of part A. The course catalogue contains information on the types of classes in each part of the programme. Attendance during practical components is mandatory.

    • Assessment

    Item and weight Details

    Final grade

    1 (100%)

    Tentamen

    Fraud and plagiarism

    The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

    Course structure

    Weeknummer Onderwerpen Studiestof
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8

    Timetable

    The schedule for this course is published on DataNose.

    Additional information

    Recommended prior knowledge: quantum mechanics bachelor courses.

    Contact information

    Coordinator

    • prof. dr. Florian Schreck