Objective Experiments using Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC) of ultracold atoms have demonstrated the quantum mechanical similarities between ultracold bosonic atoms and photons of light. In addition, research using ultracold fermionic atoms has shed light on other interesting and/or unsolved phenomena, such as the pairing of electrons in superconductors and the mechanisms of high Tc superconductivity. Helium has both stable bosonic (4He) and fermionic (3He) isotopes that may be cooled to quantum degeneracy in a metastable electronic excited state (He*), thus making it ideally suited for the study of the overlap between the fields of ultracold atomic gases, quantum optics and condensed matter. He* offers a major advantage over other atomic species due to the large internal energy (~20 eV) stored in each atom. Whereas the detection of ultracold atoms typically relies on optical means that are limited in resolution and efficiency, He* atoms dropped onto a microchannel plate are precisely located in time and space due to the de-excitation of their internal energy. In groundbreaking experiments, the bunching of bosonic atoms, a phenomenon predicted for photons, has been observed using bosonic 4He*. Remarkably, the corresponding anti-bunching of fermionic 3He* atoms, with no direct optical analogy, was also observed. Incorporating the capacity to trap and cool fermionic 3He* into an existing 4He* BEC apparatus will open the door to many new opportunities. For example, bosons within a Bose-Fermi mixture may mediate interactions between fermions and play the role of the phonons in a BCS superconductor. Moreover, Bose-Fermi mixtures in optical lattices promise a unique opportunity for the study of condensed matter systems, and the detection capability afforded by the He* system should allow for the observation of correlations and possibly quantum entanglement. Fields of science engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsfossil energynatural gasnatural sciencesphysical sciencescondensed matter physicsbose-einstein condensatesnatural sciencesphysical scienceselectromagnetism and electronicssuperconductivitynatural sciencesphysical sciencestheoretical physicsparticle physicsphotons Keywords BEC Bose Einstein Condensate Degenerate Fermi Degenerate Fermi gas correlations disorder lattice metastable Programme(s) FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) PEOPLE-2007-4-2.IIF - Marie Curie Action: "International Incoming Fellowships" Call for proposal FP7-PEOPLE-2007-4-2-IIF See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MC-IIF - International Incoming Fellowships (IIF) Coordinator CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS EU contribution € 172 167,92 Address RUE MICHEL ANGE 3 75794 Paris France See on map Region Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Paris Activity type Research Organisations Administrative Contact Michèle Saumon (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data
