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Abstract:

We describe a simple and compact single-chamber apparatus for robust production of $^87$Rb Bose-Einstein condensates. The apparatus is built from off-the-shelf components and allows production of quasi-pure condensates of > $3\times 10^5$ atoms in < 30 s. This is achieved using a hybrid trap created by a quadrupole magnetic field and a single red-detuned laser beam [Y.-J. Lin et al., Phys. Rev. A 79, 063631 (2009)]. In the same apparatus we also achieve condensation in an optically plugged quadrupole trap [K. B. Davis et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 75, 3969 (1995)] and show that as little as 70 mW of plug-laser power is sufficient for condensation, making it viable to pursue this approach using inexpensive diode lasers. While very compact, our apparatus features sufficient optical access for complex experiments, and we have recently used it to demonstrate condensation in a uniform optical-box potential [A. Gaunt et al., arXiv:1212.4453 (2012)].

Abstract:

The intermetallic compound CeGe exhibits unusual magnetic behavior due to the interplay between the Kondo and the antiferromagnetic coupling. This particular system is interesting because the Kondo temperature is close to the Néel temperature, resulting in a close competition between the low-temperature interactions, which can be tuned by means of varying external parameters such as pressure and applied magnetic field. Interestingly, magnetization measurements up to 12 kbar reveal that the Néel temperature is not affected by pressure. Measurements of the electrical resistivity, however, show that the sharp upturn appearing below T N is sensitive to pressures up to 15 kbar. This suggests that pressure may change the complex antiferromagnetic spin structure. The validity of an explanation based on the magnetic superzones seen in the rare earths is discussed here. © C.R.S. Haines, N. Marcano, R.P. Smith, I. Aviani, J.I. Espeso, J.C. Gómez Sal, and S.S. Saxena, 2012.