title: Observation of bose-einstein condensation in a dilute atomic vapor.
abstract: A Bose-Einstein condensate was produced in a vapor of rubidium-87 atoms that was confined by magnetic fields and evaporatively cooled. The condensate fraction first appeared near a temperature of 170 nanokelvin and a number density of 2.5 x 10(12) per cubic centimeter and could be preserved for more than 15 seconds. Three primary signatures of Bose-Einstein condensation were seen. (i) On top of a broad thermal velocity distribution, a narrow peak appeared that was centered at zero velocity. (ii) The fraction of the atoms that were in this low-velocity peak increased abruptly as the sample temperature was lowered. (iii) The peak exhibited a nonthermal, anisotropic velocity distribution expected of the minimum-energy quantum state of the magnetic trap in contrast to the isotropic, thermal velocity distribution observed in the broad uncondensed fraction.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Ensher
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Wieman
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Cornell