Research
The JILA AMO Physics Center engages in four far-reaching research collaborations. The first activity involves building complex ultracold matter from the ground up. Experimentalists and theorists investigate (1) strong interactions and novel behavior in Bose and Fermi gases and (2) dipolar molecular quantum gases and other quantum states of matter. The second activity focuses on engineering many-body systems using light-matter coupling. Here, experimentalists and theorists join forces to (1) study matter's interaction with light at the quantum level, (2) investigate the quantum interface between mechanical motion and light, and (3) harness ultrafast light pulses to study different materials.
The third activity emphasizes the understanding and control of molecule formation and behavior. Collaborative projects include (1) investigations of cold and ultracold chemistry, with the goal of gaining complete quantum control of molecule formation, (2) observations of both electron behavior and real-time interactions of electrons with the nucleus of atoms, and (3) development of new methods to control the behavior of molecules during chemical reactions. The fourth activity explores new, high-impact research. These innovative efforts include (1) developing atom chips and atomtronics (building cold-atom analogs of electronic devices), (2) improving atomic clock precision, (3) scattering beams of molecules off liquid surfaces, (4) searching for the electric dipole moment of the electron, and (5) developing x-ray-based methods for visualizing and controling energy flow in proteins.
To learn more about the center's ground-breaking research, please check out our research highlights, publications, and science nuggets.
Research Highlights
The Thompson group, with theory help from the Holland group, recently demonstrated a superradiant laser that escapes the “echo chamber” problem that limits the best lasers. To understand this problem, imagine an opera singer practicing in an echo chamber. The singer hears his own voice echo from the walls of the room. He constantly adjusts his pitch to match that of his echo from some time before. But, if the walls of the room vibrate, then the singer’s echo will be shifted in pitch after...
Fellows Konrad Lehnert and Cindy Regal are collaborating on an ambitious undertaking to explore the quantum behavior of tiny mechanical systems that are large enough to be visible to the naked eye (as opposed to systems exhibiting quantum behavior that are no bigger than a few tens of atoms). At the same time, they have been looking for ways to prolong vibrations in mechanical objects such as drums or strings. Prolonging vibrations makes it possible to laser cool objects to temperatures where...
.
2003. Vortex lattice dynamics in a dilute gas BEC. Journal of Low Temperature Physics. 134:683–688.
.
2003. The variability of accretion on to Schwarzschild black holes from turbulent magnetized discs. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc.. 341
.
2003. Ultra-low jitter, 1550-nm mode-locked semiconductor laser synchronized to a visible optical frequency standard. Optics Letters. 28:813–815.
.
2003. A two-atom picture of coherent atom-molecule quantum beats. New J. Phys.. 5
.
2003. Thermally induced losses in ultra-cold atoms magnetically trapped near room-temperature surfaces. J. Low Temp. Phys.. 133
.
2003. Theory of dissociative recombination of D3h triatomic ions applied to H3(+). Phys. Rev. Lett.. 90
.
2003. Single-stage sub-Doppler cooling of alkaline earth atoms. Phys. Rev. Lett.. 90
.
2003. Prospects for Bose-Einstein condensation in ground state molecules. 11th International Laser Physics Workshop. 13:1091–1094.
.
2003. Primary electronic thermometry using the shot noise of a tunnel junction. Science. 300