Abstract

The rapidly developing techniques of laser cooling and trapping of neutral atoms make possible a variety of exciting experiments in fundamental atomic physics. These experiments include the search for a permanent electric-dipole moment of the electron, the development of very precise atomic frequency standards, and the study of quantum collective behavior, such as BoseEinstein condensation. Progress in each of these experiments depends critically on understanding the long-range interactions between cold atoms. In the case of BoseEinstein condensation in a dilute atomic gas, for example, a stable condensate can form only if the ground-state scattering length of the atoms is positive.

© 1995 Optical Society of America