The study of atoms in extreme conditions has been the frontier of all science. The deeper scientists prod the structure of these building blocks the more questions there are. Often these questions are hypothesized through mathematical models for the better part of human history our mathematical proofs have far exceeded are physical experiments. An example of this gap can be seen in the 1920’s when Bose and Einstein worked together, and theorized an additional state of matter would exist if atoms were cooled to near zero temperatures. This hypothetical state would be known as a Bose-Einstein Condensate or BEC, and was eventually proven in 1995 to exist. When referring to near zero temperatures a few milestones should be known. At 273K liquid water becomes ice, at 13.99K liquid hydrogen becomes a solid, 3K is the temperature of the vacuum of space, at 2.17K helium shows properties of superfluidity, and eventually at 30nK the BEC is formed. The number 30nK can be expressed as 0.000000030K. That’s not just cold, the BEC is the coolest state of matter we know of in the universe. At Miami’s BEC laboratory we’re taking the right steps to achieve this extreme state of matter. My personal work over the last three years has been on building the three necessary systems required for a BEC. From laying out the optics for the laser trap to constructing the vacuum housing chambers my work has covered many disciplines which I will share.
Author: Benjamin Groves
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Carlo Samson, Department of Physics
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