Cooled by light very close to absolute zero, atomic gases have very low thermal agitation, and can be used to measure time, space and gravitation with high accuracy.

This project aims to study the functioning of atomic clocks in space, in the absence of gravity, in order to carry out more precise tests of Einstein's general relativity.

Below the microkelvin, atoms also reveal spectacular quantum behaviours, such as Bose-Einstein condensation or superfluidity, the transport of particles without friction.

Christophe Salomon and his team were the first to observe the Bloch oscillations of ultra cold atoms and the solitons of matter waves.

This work paved the way for quantitative N-body physics in the regime of strong correlations, a subject that is currently undergoing rapid development.