Bose-Einstein condensation of alkaline earth atoms: 40Ca
Abstract
We have achieved Bose-Einstein condensation of 40Ca, the first for an alkaline earth element. The influence of elastic and inelastic collisions associated with the large ground state s-wave scattering length of 40Ca was measured. From these findings, an optimized loading and cooling scheme was developed that allowed us to condense about 2 · 104 atoms after laser cooling in a two-stage magneto-optical trap and subsequent forced evaporation in a crossed dipole trap within less than 3 s. The condensation of an alkaline earth element opens novel opportunities for precision measurements on the narrow intercombination lines as well as investigations of molecular states at the 1S--3P asymptotes.
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