Growth of Bose-Einstein condensates from thermal vapor.
We report on a quantitative study of the growth process of (87)Rb Bose-Einstein condensates. By continuous evaporative cooling we directly control the thermal cloud from which the condensate grows. We compare the experimental data with the results of a theoretical model based on quantum kinetic theory. We find quantitative agreement with theory for the situation of strong cooling, whereas in the weak cooling regime a distinctly different behavior is found in the experiment.
Köhl
M
M
Sektion Physik, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Schellingstrasse 4/III, D-80799 Munich, Germany. koehl@iqe.phys.ethz.ch
Davis
M J
MJ
Gardiner
C W
CW
Hänsch
T W
TW
Esslinger
T
T