Apparatus for quantum-mixture research in microgravity

Abstract

Experiments with ultracold quantum gases are a rapidly advancing research field with many applications in fundamental physics and quantum technology. Here, we report on a high-flux generation of Bose-Einstein condensate mixtures of $^{41}$K and $^{87}$Rb, using a fully integrated sounding rocket setup. We compare the release and the free expansion of the quantum mixtures obtained with the apparatus placed on ground or in free fall in an Einstein-Elevator. The release dynamics are governed by the intra- and interspecies interactions as well as the decaying magnetic field during the release. The latter can be minimized by a dedicated switch-off protocol of the trap generating currents where an exact model enabled us to characterize the interaction effects. Our results establish a new benchmark for generating ultracold mixtures on mobile platforms, with direct relevance for future experiments on interacting quantum gases and tests of the equivalence principle in space.