Quantum Mechanics Near Absolute Zero Temperature

Quantum mechanics describes the microscopic physics of atoms, nuclei and elementary particles. However, when particles are cooled to very low temperatures, their de Broglie wavelength increases and new quantum phenomena are observed: Low temperature opens another window into the quantum world.

Laser cooling and evaporative cooling create atoms at nanokelvin temperatures with de Broglie wavelengths exceeding 1 micrometer. The observation of Bose-Einstein condensation and degenerate Fermi seas have led to a wide range of studies of ultracold quantum matter. Of special interest are superfluids which can flow without dissipation, the study of interacting spins, and quantum phase transitions which occur even at zero temperature.