Measurements of Collective Collapse in a Bose-Einstein Condensate with Attractive Interactions
C. A. SackettPhysics Department and Rice Quantum Institute, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77251Jordan M. GertonPhysics Department and Rice Quantum Institute, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77251Matthias WellingPhysics Department and Rice Quantum Institute, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77251Randall G. HuletPhysics Department and Rice Quantum Institute, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77251
1999en
ABI
Abstract
The occupation number of a magnetically trapped Bose-Einstein condensate is limited for atoms with attractive interactions. It has been predicted that, as this limit is approached, the condensate will collapse by a collective process. The measured spread in condensate number for samples of ${}^{7}\mathrm{Li}$ atoms undergoing thermal equilibration is consistent with the occurrence of such collapses.
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