German researchers achieve record dual‑component quantum gas production

Physicists have built a compact apparatus that creates two ultracold quantum gases—potassium‑41 and rubidium‑87—in just 2.3 seconds, setting a world‑record speed for mixed Bose‑Einstein condensates. The system is designed for precision measurements in microgravity environments.

In parallel, a German research consortium led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering (IOF), the Institute for Applied Physics at Friedrich‑Schiller‑University Jena, and the Technical University Ilmenau is developing a new 3‑D nanolithography machine. Funded by the DFG, the device will pattern nanostructures over areas up to one square metre with positioning accuracy below an atom, enabling large‑scale photonic components for future scientific applications such as fusion and gravitational‑wave research.