Date: Sep 05, 2013 Source: (
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Notoriously difficult, expensive and time consuming to set up, experiments to create Bose-Einstein Condensates (atoms cooled to temperatures very close to Absolute Zero) have become vastly easier yet much smaller in size. When Eric Cornell and Carl Wieman first demonstrated the existence of as Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC), a form of ultracold matter, for the first time in 1995, a roomful of optics,; electronics and lasers -- not to mention a large amount of experience -- were required. That labyrinth and expertise has been condensed (pardon the pun) to a table--top system. It incorporates everything the up and coming or experienced atomic physicists would need to create BEC, ultracold, and cold atoms at a fraction of the size and cost.
The system comprises of ColdQuanta's flagship RuBECi® which lies at the heart of the system and where the cloud of atoms are trapped. Also included are the required electronics, lasers, optics, and imaging equipment to create and image the cloud. Just sourcing the equipment individually can be a massive time-sink for a researcher. ColdQuanta has sold individual devices and related accessories but until now has not released an integrated system. To have an entire system set up ready to trap and cool atoms to a fraction of absolute zero will save the researcher time, effort, and money so that they may focus on actual experiments.
"We are excited to be able to provide a complete system with which a researcher can create BEC or ultracold atoms effectively from scratch," said Rainer Kunz, CEO of ColdQuanta. "This was our goal at the beginning of the company and now we can also say we have our first customer for this integrated system."
The ultracold, BEC and cold atom field has grown enormously over the last few years. ColdQuanta ‘s products are helping institutions to achieve their BEC and ultracold atom goals such as the Korea National University of Education achieving BEC and JPL purchasing a system for the ISS. Each year brings new possible applications ranging from atomic clocks, precision instrumentation, quantum computing and now quantum simulation of complex and novel materials.
