Colloquium: Dr. Toshihiko Shimasaki | Univ. of CA Santa Barb
In-Person PHYS 401
Location
Physics : 401
Date & Time
February 19, 2024, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Description
TITLE: "Tabletop quantum science with laser-cooled atoms and molecules”
ABSTRACT: Rapid progress in laser cooling has expanded its scope to new species, lower temperatures, and better control. After briefly introducing the physics of laser cooling, I will discuss the production of ultracold molecules as a new extension of the laser cooling technique. The continuous nature of our method opens up new possibilities, including the preparation of optical tweezer arrays of molecules. In the latter half of the talk, I will discuss our recent quantum simulation experiments as an application of laser cooling. Using laser cooling, we prepare Bose-Einstein condensates and load them into artificial periodic potentials created by laser standing waves, so-called “optical lattices”. We can use such a system to simulate and study condensed matter physics. I will report our recent results in this direction, including the study of phason physics in a synthetic quantum quasicrystal, reversible control of localization-delocalization quantum phase transition, and the first experimental realization of the kicked Aubry-André-Harper model.
ABSTRACT: Rapid progress in laser cooling has expanded its scope to new species, lower temperatures, and better control. After briefly introducing the physics of laser cooling, I will discuss the production of ultracold molecules as a new extension of the laser cooling technique. The continuous nature of our method opens up new possibilities, including the preparation of optical tweezer arrays of molecules. In the latter half of the talk, I will discuss our recent quantum simulation experiments as an application of laser cooling. Using laser cooling, we prepare Bose-Einstein condensates and load them into artificial periodic potentials created by laser standing waves, so-called “optical lattices”. We can use such a system to simulate and study condensed matter physics. I will report our recent results in this direction, including the study of phason physics in a synthetic quantum quasicrystal, reversible control of localization-delocalization quantum phase transition, and the first experimental realization of the kicked Aubry-André-Harper model.
