Realization of a triel element ultracold gas in an optical lattice

Ultracold gases of triel elements (Group 13 of the Periodic Table) have great potential for a new generation of quantum matter experiments. These atoms occupy an unexplored regime of angular momentum and magnetic interaction strength, offering novel short-range anisotropic scattering and the potential for topological spinor physics. In particular, the triel element indium combines features found only in isolation in alkali and alkaline earth systems, such as magnetic Feshbach resonances, an ultranarrow clock transition, and anisotropic light-matter interactions. These capabilities make indium capable of quantum many-body physics with exotic interactions and a high degree of quantum control.

We report the first realization of an ultracold gas of indium meeting key criteria for modern quantum science. We cool an indium gas to 15 μK via polarization gradient cooling---two orders of magnitude below the Doppler limit. We also prepare the atoms in a single hyperfine sublevel with 90% purity and demonstrate optical lattice confinement with a 3-second trap lifetime. These achievements establish indium as a new platform for ultracold quantum research, opening the door to novel experiments in quantum simulation, precision measurement, and topological physics.