Ultracold quantum gases, either made with bosonic or fermionic atoms, allow to explore quantum many-body physics in a huge variety of settings. It is nowadays possible to trap the atoms with optical and magnetic fields in different dimensions and geometries. Moreover, by tuning the interatomic interactions, one can realize both weakly- and strongly-interacting systems, investigating their static and dynamic properties. In this talk, I will provide a broad overview of the main experimental applications with ultracold atoms, introducing the phenomenon of Bose-Einstein condensation, and analyzing the physics of shell-shaped quantum gases. These two-dimensional hollow condensates are currently produced in a microgravity facility on the orbiting International Space Station, as it would be technically unfeasible to observe a complete coverage of the shell in ground-based laboratories.
I will discuss our recent theoretical predictions for these experiments, focusing on the phenomena of Bose-Einstein condensation and superfluidity, and characterizing the interesting aspects of these ultracold atomic bubbles.
