Laser cooling for quantum gases

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent advances in laser cooling techniques that enable reaching quantum degeneracy in atomic gases, including new methods for Bose-Einstein condensation and continuous cooling.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of innovative laser cooling methods and discusses future possibilities for creating quantum gases.

Findings

Laser cooling has been extended to more atomic species.

New methods enable Bose-Einstein condensation solely through laser cooling.

Continuous Bose-Einstein condensation has been realized.

Abstract

Laser cooling exploits the physics of light scattering to cool atomic and molecular gases to close to absolute zero. It is the crucial initial step for essentially all atomic gas experiments in which Bose-Einstein condensation and, more generally, quantum degeneracy is reached. The ongoing development of laser-cooling methods has allowed more elements to be brought to quantum degeneracy, with each additional atomic species offering its own experimental opportunities. Improved methods are opening new avenues, for example, reaching Bose-Einstein condensation purely through laser cooling as well as the realization of continuous Bose-Einstein condensation. Here we review these recent innovations in laser cooling and provide an outlook on methods that may enable new ways of creating quantum gases.