Attractive interactions Experiments led by Randall Hulet at Rice University from 1995 through 2000 showed that lithium condensates with attractive interactions could stably exist up to a critical atom number. Quench cooling the gas, they observed the condensate to grow, then subsequently collapse as the attraction overwhelmed the zero-point energy of the confining potential, in a burst reminiscent of a supernova, with an explosion preceded by an implosion.
attrACtiVe inTeRAcTions eXpeRIments lEd By ranDall hulET AT rice uNiveRSity FroM 1995 tHrOugh 2000 SHowed that lithIum conDensAtES witH attractivE inTEraCtIons could stABly ExiST up to a cRiticAL atoM nUmber. qUenCH coOling tHE gas, thEY obsErveD tHe conDENSate to GROw, THen SubSequently colLAPse as thE attraCTIon ovErwhelmed tHe zEro-Point Energy of tHe ConfininG poTenTiaL, iN a BurSt REminiScent OF A sUpeRnOva, With An Explosion preceded By an ImPlosIOn.