Atomic physics investigations of light localization in high density ultracold 87Rb vapor

这个实验研究计划的首要主题是研究超冷原子蒸气中的相变。在过去的十年里，实验和理论的进步导致了对超冷汽相物质的动力学和动力学性质的精确控制、操纵和理解。然而，尽管在研究超冷原子气体中的强关联系统方面取得了巨大的进展，但凝聚系统的复杂性的重要方面仍有待探索。其中之一是无序对现实物理系统的传输特性产生的关键影响。该研究计划的重点是实验探索和了解电磁波在超冷原子气体中的局域化。由于单个光子本质上是不相互作用的玻色子，一个近乎理想化的系统可以用静止散射原子的空间无序气体来实现。这项研究还可以对量子线性和非线性光学以及量子信息中的一系列问题产生重要影响。该研究计划对科学教育、基础设施和多样性具有重要的更广泛的影响。这项工作的一个潜在应用是使用光子局域样本作为量子中继器。目前此类设备的技术限制是长距离安全量子通信的主要障碍。教育的影响部分是通过让本科生和研究生大量参与科学项目的所有部分来实现的，包括参加专业会议上以本科生为重点的研讨会。学生还将参与与实验相关的本科生和硕士学位独立项目。最后，这项研究通过博士生和教师与俄罗斯和法国的学术同事和学生一起参与这项研究的国际组成部分，影响了国际科学教育和基础设施。

The overriding theme of this experimental research program is investigation of phase transitions in ultracold atomic vapor. Over the past decade, experimental and theoretical advances have led to exquisite control, manipulation, and understanding of dynamic and kinetic properties of ultracold vapor-phase matter. However, in spite of enormous progress in studying strongly correlated systems in ultracold atomic gases, important aspects of the complexity of condensed system remain to be explored. One of these is the critical influence that disorder has on transport properties of realistic physical systems. The research program is focused on experimental exploration and understanding of localization of electromagnetic waves in ultracold atomic gases. As individual photons are essentially noninteracting bosons, a nearly idealized system can be realized with a spatially disordered gas of stationary scattering atoms. The research also can have an important impact on an array of problems in quantum linear and nonlinear optics and quantum informationThe research program has significant broader impact on science education, infrastructure, and diversity. A potential application of the work is the use of photon localizing samples as quantum repeaters. The current technical limitations of such devices is a main impediment to long-distance secure quantum communications. Educational impact is partly accomplished by substantially involving undergraduate and graduate students in all parts of the scientific projects, including attendance at undergraduate-focused symposia at professional conferences. Students will also participate in undergraduate and masters degree independent projects associated with the experiments. Finally, the research impacts international science education and infrastructure through involvement of Ph.D. students and faculty in international components of this research with academic colleagues and students in Russia and France.