A Strongly Dipolar Bose-Einstein Condensate of Dysprosium

TL;DR

This paper reports the creation of the first Bose-Einstein condensate of dysprosium, the most magnetic atom, demonstrating stable condensation in the strongly dipolar regime with unique magnetic field dependence.

Contribution

It presents the first BEC of a lanthanide element, dysprosium, highlighting its stable formation dependent on magnetic field orientation, advancing dipolar quantum gas research.

Findings

Formation of nearly pure Dy BEC below 30 nK.

Stable BEC depends on magnetic field angle.

Achieved strongly dipolar regime without Feshbach resonance.

Abstract

We report the Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) of the most magnetic atom, dysprosium. The Dy BEC is the first for an open f-shell lanthanide (rare-earth) element and is produced via forced evaporation in a crossed optical dipole trap loaded by an unusual, blue-detuned and spin-polarized narrow-line magneto-optical trap. Nearly pure condensates of 1.5x10^4 164Dy atoms form below T = 30 nK. We observe that stable BEC formation depends on the relative angle of a small polarizing magnetic field to the axis of the oblate trap, a property of trapped condensates only expected in the strongly dipolar regime. This regime was heretofore only attainable in Cr BECs via a Feshbach resonance accessed at high magnetic field.