Bose–Einstein Condensates

Bose–Einstein condensates (BECs) are a type of quantum material and a state of matter.

A Bose-Einstein condensate is a group of atoms cooled close to absolute zero. When they reach that temperature the atoms are hardly moving relative to each other; they have almost no free energy to do so. At that point, the atoms begin to clump together, and enter the same energy states. They become identical, from a physical point of view, and the whole group starts behaving as though it were a single atom. 

Field: MaterialsDestination: Earth, SpaceTrend: UnknownTimeline: Long-term

Updated: 2025-01-11

Created: 2023-03-11

Reported production of rubidium Bose–Einstein condensates (BECs) in an Earth-orbiting research laboratory, the Cold Atom Lab on ISS, in 2018-2019.

TRL: 3

• Sensors and detectors (inertial, gravity waves, etc).
• Quantum information processing.
• Atomic lasers. 

Subnanokelvin Bose–Einstein condensates (BECs) have been observed on ISS in weak trapping potentials with free-expansion times extending beyond one second, providing an initial demonstration of the advantages offered by a microgravity environment for cold-atom experiments.