Ultracold Gases

At room temperatures the behavior of a gas of atoms is dominated by their random thermal motion. Averaged over time this gives simple descriptions in terms of thermodynamic variables such as Temperature and Pressure. As the temperature is lowered, this thermal motion is reduced. The Heisenberg uncertainty principle prevents the atoms from coming to a stop. Instead, at nanokelvin temperatures, quantum mechanics dictates the properties of these atomic gases. We study this strange and beautiful form of quantum matter. (more)