Fermi-Bose quantum degenerate ^40 K - ^87 Rb mixture with attractive interaction

TL;DR

This paper reports the creation of a quantum degenerate mixture of fermionic ^40 K and bosonic ^87 Rb, demonstrating strong interspecies attraction and its effects on condensate expansion.

Contribution

First demonstration of simultaneous quantum degeneracy in a ^40 K and ^87 Rb mixture with confirmed attractive interspecies interaction.

Findings

Achieved quantum degeneracy in both species

Measured large interspecies collisional cross-section

Observed impact of attraction on condensate expansion

Abstract

We report on the achievement of simultaneous quantum degeneracy in a mixed gas of fermionic ^40 K and bosonic ^87 Rb. Potassium is cooled to 0.3 times the Fermi temperature by means of an efficient thermalization with evaporatively cooled rubidium. Direct measurement of the collisional cross-section confirms a large interspecies attraction. This interaction is shown to affect the expansion of the Bose-Einstein condensate released form the magnetic trap, where it is immersed in the Fermi sea.