Observation of dipole-dipole interaction in a degenerate quantum gas
arXiv:cond-mat/0508228 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.150406
Abstract
We have investigated the expansion of a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) of strongly magnetic chromium atoms. The long-range and anisotropic magnetic dipole-dipole interaction leads to an anisotropic deformation of the expanding Cr-BEC which depends on the orientation of the atomic dipole moments. Our measurements are consistent with the theory of dipolar quantum gases and show that a Cr-BEC is an excellent model system to study dipolar interactions in such gases.
4 pages, 2 figures