|
Physicists around the world routinely cool atom gases to
temperatures colder than the farthest regions of inter-stellar
space. Atomic motion cannot escape its quantum mechanical nature at
these ultra-cold temperatures, where thermal deBrogile wavelengths
can approach a tenth of the diameter of a human hair. I'll explain
how atom gases can be cooled to nano-Kelvin temperatures on a
tabletop without using equipment colder than room temperature. I'll
also show how atom gases, when trapped in a crystal formed from
light, are now being used to resolve decade old questions about
models of solid materials.
Return
|
