CAREER:Quantum Polar Molecular Gases from One- and Two-Electron Atoms

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。该职业奖支持一项实验研究计划，以产生极性分子气体，其目标是研究具有强和远程相互作用的量子物质，并对物理基础理论进行敏感测试。锂（单电子原子，Li）和镱（双电子原子，Yb）被冷却并限制在一个共同的原子陷阱中，随后使用光场诱导散射共振连接形成双原子LiYb分子。这些强相互作用的分子被放置在周期性光学晶格势中，用于研究凝聚态物理的基本哈伯德模型的扩展，包括粒子间的远程相互作用。捕获的顺磁分子也将被用作电子电偶极矩（EDM）的非常敏感的探针，其值对基本粒子物理模型至关重要。这些实验将有助于发展用于量子计算的捕获极性分子。在进行研究工作的同时，正在进行有关的教育和外联活动。研究生和本科生获得宝贵的研究经验，为他们作为下一代科学家和工程师加入学术界和工业界的工作做好准备。通过增加计算成分和结合基于原子和光学物理的现代前沿研究的上下文丰富的问题，本科讲座和实验课程得到加强。该研究项目通过华盛顿大学与西雅图MESA（数学、工程、科学成就）项目的合作，将教育和推广项目纳入其中。这包括定期讲座、实验室参观和暑期实习，为来自西雅图地区的弱势高中生提供机会，以吸引他们参加科学大学项目和职业。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).This CAREER award supports an experimental research program to produce polar molecular gases with the goal of investigating quantum matter with strong and long-range interactions, and of performing sensitive tests of fundamental theories of physics. Lithium (one-electron atom, Li) and ytterbium (two-electron atom, Yb) are cooled and confined in a common atom trap and subsequently linked using optical field induced scattering resonances to form diatomic LiYb molecules. These strongly-interacting molecules are placed in periodic optical lattice potentials for studying extensions to the fundamental Hubbard model of condensed matter physics, incorporating inter-particle long-range interactions. The trapped paramagnetic molecules are also to be used as a very sensitive probe for the electron electric dipole moment (EDM), the value of which crucially impacts models of fundamental particle physics. These experiments will contribute to the development of trapped polar molecules for quantum computation.Concurrent with the research component, related education and outreach is being performed. Graduate and undergraduate students gain valuable research experience, preparing them to join the work force in academics and industry as the next generation of scientists and engineers. Undergraduate lecture and laboratory courses are being enhanced through an increased computational component and incorporation of context-rich problems based on modern cutting-edge research in atomic and optical physics. The research program is leveraged to encompass educational and outreach programs through the University of Washington's partnership with the Seattle MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement) program. This involves periodic lectures, lab tours, and summer internships, for underrepresented and disadvantaged high-school students from the Seattle area, in an effort to attract them to scientific college programs and careers.