The University of Queensland

Superfluidity and metrology with ring shaped Bose-Einstein condensates (2009–2011)

Abstract:

Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) are diaphanous clouds of millions of indistinguishable atoms synchronized in a fuzzy droplet of quantum superfluid. It has long been known that superfluid helium can flow without resistance below a critical speed, yet the best theories still vastly overestimate its value in doughnut shaped containers. In a joint experimental and theoretical program we will elucidate the mechanism that limits the superfluid velocity in ring-shaped systems. BECs also promise to be ultra-sensitive measuring devices. We will perform the first experiment demonstrating a new measurement scheme that offers drastically improved scaling of the precision with particle number compared to previously known methods.

Grant type:

ARC Discovery Projects

Researchers:

• 

  Professor Gerard Milburn

  Professorial Research Fellow
  

  School of Mathematics and Physics

  Faculty of Science

Funded by:

Australian Research Council