News

Tue November 26, 2024

Maximum Entropy Principle in Deep Thermalization and in Hilbert-Space Ergodicity

The dynamics of systems consisting of many particles are very complicated and practically impossible to predict. For such systems, statistical physics has proven extremely useful, making highly accurate predictions for both quantum and classical systems. The central assumption behind statistical physics is the maximum entropy principle: A generic system reaches a state with maximum entropy,...
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Research Highlights
Wed November 20, 2024

Hilbert-Space Ergodicity in Driven Quantum Systems: Obstructions and Designs

Many-body quantum systems reach thermal equilibrium due to a property called quantum ergodicity. Despite its conceptual significance, there is no general definition of quantum ergodicity that is universally applicable to all scenarios. In quantum systems whose description remains unchanged with time, quantum ergodicity is defined through the system’s stationary configurations — certain states that do not...
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Research Highlights
Mon November 18, 2024

Emergent ferromagnetic states revealed in a geometrically frustrated triangular lattice

In a material, the way electrons align their spins to form a magnetic phase strongly depends on the geometry of the crystal they inhabit. In particular, triangular lattice geometries display an effect called geometrical frustration, where up and down spins cannot all be antialigned classically. This effect is thought to give rise to complex and...
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Research Highlights
Mon November 18, 2024

CUA scientists observe microemulsion phases in the quantum melting of an electron Wigner crystal

Electrons, as quantum particles, display wave-like behavior. Forming a crystalline phase of electrons requires not only cooling but also strong Coulomb (repulsive) forces to counteract their wave-like nature. When this balance is achieved, electrons can arrange into a Wigner crystal. By adjusting electron density, a phase transition between a crystalline and liquid state can occur....
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Research Highlights
Mon November 18, 2024

A Conveyor Belt MOT of Diatomic Molecules

Ultracold molecules provide a powerful and versatile platform for quantum computing,simulation, and metrology applications. The cornerstone technique for generating these cold, dense samples of molecular gasses is the magneto-optical trap (MOT). Conventional molecular MOTs use red-detuned light, limiting them to relatively high temperatures and low densities, leading to small spatial overlap and low loading efficiency...
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News type:
Research Highlights
Thu November 14, 2024

Cavity-enabled real-time observation of individual atomic collisions

Arrays of individual neutral atoms represent a promising platform for quantum information processing due to their scalability, arbitrary connectivity, and long coherence times. These features are enabled in large part by the simple trapping and high-fidelity fluorescence imaging of individual atoms within tweezer traps. In our lab, we use strong dispersive coupling to a high-cooperativity...
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Research Highlights
Wed October 16, 2024

Vladan Vuletic wins the 2025 Arthur L. Schawlow Prize in Laser Science

Full award information can be found here.
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News type:
Awards
Wed October 16, 2024

Norman Yao wins 2025 I. I. Rabi Prize

Full prize information can be found here.
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Awards
Fri May 3, 2024

Physicists arrange atoms in extremely close proximity

Proximity is key for many quantum phenomena, as interactions between atoms are stronger when the particles are close. In many quantum simulators, scientists arrange atoms as close together as possible to explore exotic states of matter and build new quantum materials. They typically do this by cooling the atoms to a stand-still, then using laser...
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Research Highlights
Fri February 9, 2024

Technique could improve the sensitivity of quantum sensing devices

In quantum sensing, atomic-scale quantum systems are used to measure electromagnetic fields, as well as properties like rotation, acceleration, and distance, far more precisely than classical sensors can. The technology could enable devices that image the brain with unprecedented detail, for example, or air traffic control systems with precise positioning accuracy.    
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News type:
Research Highlights