Bose-Einstein Condensation in Atomic Gases (Proceedings of the International School of Physics)

Altough first proposed by Einstein in 1924, Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) in a gas was not achieved until 1995 when, using a combination of laser cooling and trapping, and magnetic trapping and evaporation, it was first observed in rubidium and then in lithium and sodium, cooled down to extremely low temperatures. This book brought together many leaders in both theory and experiments on Bose-Einstein condensation in gases. Their lectures provided a detailed coverage of the experimental techniques for the creation and study of BEC, as well as the theoretical foundation for understanding the properties of this novel system. Many exciting aspects coming out of research on condensates were presented. The timing for this book was excellent since the field is still small enough to cover fully, but is also clearly about to undergo a major expansion. This volume provides the first systematic review of the field and the many developments that have taken place in the past three years. Silicon-based Microphotonics