Realization of a quantum degenerate mixture of highly magnetic and nonmagnetic atoms

TL;DR

This paper reports the experimental creation of a quantum degenerate mixture of magnetic 168Er and nonmagnetic 174Yb atoms, enabling new studies in impurity physics and quantum chaos.

Contribution

First realization of a bosonic quantum degenerate mixture of highly magnetic and nonmagnetic atoms in an all-optical trap.

Findings

Successful formation of Bose-Einstein condensates of both species.

Observation of aspect ratio inversions confirming quantum degeneracy.

Potential for new experiments on impurity physics and Feshbach resonance behavior.

Abstract

We report on the experimental realization of a bosonic quantum degenerate mixture of highly-magnetic 168Er and nonmagnetic 174Yb. Quantum degeneracy is reached by forced evaporation in an all-optical trap. Formation of the two Bose-Einstein condensates is confirmed by analysis of the cloud shape and the observed inversions of the aspect ratios. The results open a path for possible new experiments on magnetic and nonmagnetic impurity physics as well as on the quantum chaotic behavior of Feshbach resonances and their dependencies on minor variations of the reduced masses.