Date/Time
Date(s) - 08/03/2006
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Title: Nanokelvin fermions in microscopic traps

Speaker: Dr. Joseph Thywissen

Institute: University of Toronto

Location: ABB 102

Description:

Experiments with ultra-cold gases provide an excellent testing ground for theories traditionally called “condensed matter” physics, developed for liquids and solids. As you might expect, when the discipline structure of physics starts to change, exciting discussions and ideas immerge. I will try to give a flavor of what exciting prospects are attracting more and more researchers to the study of neutral gases at nanokelvin temperatures. I will then explain why ultra-cold gases are not simply frozen, and why such low temperatures are required for a dilute quantum gas. Finally, I will describe our recent success in cooling Bose and Fermi degenerate gases to quantum degeneracy in a microfabricated magnetic trap.