More accurate theory for Bose-Einstein condensation fraction

Abstract

Bose-Einstein statistics is derived in the thermodynamic limit when the ratio of system size to thermal de Broglie wavelength goes to infinity. However, according to the experimental setup of Bose-Einstein condensation of harmonically trapped Bose gas of alkali atoms, the ratio near the condensation temperature (To) is 30-50. And, at ultralow temperatures well below To, this ratio becomes comparable to 1. We argue that finite size as well as the ultralow temperature induces corrections to Bose-Einstein statistics. From the corrected statistics we plot condensation fraction versus temperature graph. This theoretical plot satisfies well with the experimental plot [A. Griesmaier et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 94 (2005) 160401]. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.