Program Results

Introduction to the event

A quantum gas is a distinct phase of matter that goes beyond the familiar solid, liquid, and gaseous states, and it plays a central role in modern quantum science and technology. Such a state emerges when the de Broglie wavelength of atoms becomes larger than the average spacing between them, a condition achieved only at ultralow temperatures. Since the pioneering experiment by Nobel Laureates Eric Cornell and Carl Wieman in 1995, the creation of quantum gases has relied primarily on evaporative cooling, a method that is effective but slow and wasteful of atoms.

In a recent study published in Nature Physics (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41567-024-02677-9), the team led by Yushan Young Fellow Associate Professor Shau-Yu Lan (藍劭宇) at the Department of Physics, National Taiwan University, demonstrated a new pathway to quantum gas formation. By trapping atoms in a three-dimensional optical lattice and applying electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) cooling combined with adiabatic expansion, they achieved nearly 100% efficiency in producing a quantum gas, about 100 times faster than conventional techniques. This breakthrough opens powerful opportunities to accelerate the development of cold-atom platforms for quantum sensing and quantum computing.

Remarkably, the group also observed a “Bosenova” explosion within the quantum gas, analogous to a miniature supernova. After the collapse, atoms re-emerged in a shell-like structure accompanied by atomic jets, providing a novel avenue for exploring quantum many-body dynamics and advancing quantum simulation research.

The group is now advancing this achievement toward the realization of the first scalable high-brightness quantum gas source, paving the way for atom interferometers to achieve shot-noise-limited sensitivity and revolutionize next-generation studies in inertial sensing and fundamental physics.

Figure 1: A close-look of the cold atoms.

Figure 2: The group attended DAMOP meeting in the US.