Opportunities
There are immediate openings for dedicated, motivated graduate students. Please contact Prof. Fertig to discuss.
Academics
Looking for the PHYS 4101 blog? Click here.
Funding
We gratefully acknowledge the past and continuing support of NSF, ARO, DURIP, ORAU, and The University of Georgia.
Bose Einstein Condensates for Quantum Magnetism
The manifestation of magnetic order in quantum systems is of fundamental importance in physics. Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) of spinor atomic gases have the potential to be a powerful system in which to explore quantum magnetism over a range of parameters impossible to access in the solid-state. We are focussing on the study of spinor BECs in optical lattices and in ultra-low magnetic fields as a new means to test fundamental models of quantum magnetism.
Towards Quantum Simulation
The motivation for our research is to develop techniques to control the internal and external states of atomic spinor BECs sufficiently well that they may be used to implement a general quantum analog simulator. Specifically, we are currently developing techniques for sensing and minimizing environmental perturbations, especially those due to background magnetic fields.
Broader Impact
The tools and techniques developed in the course of this research to manipulate spinor BECs in extremely low magnetic fields should cross-fertilize with efforts to perform high-precision quantum magnetometry with ultra-cold atoms for navigation applications. Cross-fertilization is also expected with the ongoing work to develop quantum information processing using neutral atoms in optical lattices, especially with regard to maximizing the coherence time of magnetic field sensitive qubits in state-dependent lattices. Finally, the highly entangled ground states of spinor BECs in optical lattices are natural sources of spin-squeezed atoms, of importance to the development of Heisenberg limited intertial sensors and atomic clocks.