Strongly Interacting Quantum Mixtures of Ultracold Atoms

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This is a research program on mixtures of ultracold atomic gases with the goal to study novel forms of matter. These gases represent an entirely new material with unique and controllable properties, and they provide a model system for the physics of electrons in modern materials. The experiments focus on phenomena far from equilibrium and in the presence of disorder, two themes that are poorly understood theoretically, but of great importance in uncovering the workings of High-TC superconductors and colossal magnetoresistive materials. One series of experiments will deal with spin transport in Fermi gases, with implications for the emerging field of spintronics. A second class of experiments will establish the rules by which diffusion, interactions and disorder can quench metallic states and how impurities promote or destroy superfluidity. This research will test and thereby advance current theories and is relevant to diverse fields of physics: From studies of high-temperature superconductors in condensed matter physics, to the quark-gluon plasma of the early Universe and the behavior of neutron matter in nuclear physics. Improved knowledge gained from these experiments may enable material scientists to harness the power of modern materials for storage devices with extreme data density, for energy efficiency and lightweight electric motors. The work will provide training for graduate and undergraduate students and postdocs on lasers, computer control, vacuum assemblies, and radiofrequency and microwave electronics, thereby combining research with education objectives. The direct observation and manipulation of many-body states will provide a very stimulating and rewarding experience at a time when the fields of atomic physics and condensed matter physics merge. All research will be performed on campus and will be fully integrated in teaching and education, via MIT's program for Undergraduate Research Opportunities (UROP) and in physics and public lectures by providing visual illustrations for basic concepts in physics.