Quantum chemistry experiment on ISS creates exotic 5th state of matter

[Admin]

Researchers created a quantum gas containing two types of atoms on the ISS, in a first for space-based research.

Quantum chemistry experiment on ISS creates exotic 5th state of matter : Read more

 

[AstroAndy]

This may be a naive question, but I'm struggling to understand how the potassium-rubidium mix could be gaseous at close to absolute zero? Does the state of matter not depend on temperature? If so, it wiuld suggest that in order to get the substance cold enough to enter the bose-einstein condensate state at that temperature it would be solid right? I'm sure I'm missing something obvious (or making a bad assumption)?

 

[Classical Motion]

When we want to measure change, we need to detect motion of that change. For wee little changes....or for real fast changes, we need something that moves very easily and very quickly. That means something that has little inertia and little mass....so a weakness can move it, and when it moves, it can move as fast as the stimulus of measurement.

One atom, cooled down to take the jitter out of it.....can do this. And do it very well. The problem is that one atom is to small for us to handle and measure correctly. So, they are trying to find compatible atoms, that when cooled down, the atoms will form into a formation......that responds like one atom would. Once that group of atoms is formed.......now we can measure, just as if it was one atom.....a big atom.

An atom amplifier. For small, quick measurements. And not only that. The condensate, should automatically respond to any stimulus. Any acceleration, even it's orientation. And any EM radiation. With a direction for it.

With these kind of sensors, many hope to provide some answers. But like all else, it will just present more questions. It always happens that way.

I love the idea and look forward to the day when they stamp these sensors out. Like IC chips.

 

[billslugg]

The ultra cold atoms would form a solid but there are so few of them, they never get near enough to each other. Magnetic fields keep them off the chamber walls, otherwise they would stick.

 

[AstroAndy]

Thank you so much for explaining this, both. I really appreciate that. I didn't realise it was done with such a small quantity. This is amazing stuff.

 

[Classical Motion]

I've only read a dozen or so reports...over the recent years. Not real deep on it. There seems to be different methods and configurations. The way I understand it, the conglomeration acts like a laid out blanket or a 3D cloud array. And a stimulus will ripple that blanket/array. We measure to direction, velocity, the frequency and/or duty cycle, amplitude and any torque/rotation.......all in moving 3D blanket....at the same time. We can assemble catalogs....and let A.I. analyze them.

The distortion in that cloud gives us all those parameters in one measurement. A moving cubic/3D measurement. And perhaps an universal sensor. With maybe a holographic screen.

And I understand they have several working models, without the cooling and at very small sizes and low power. IC size. And processor power.

Being able to catch these motions and replaying them at slow speeds to watch, should be very interesting.