CAREER: Quantum Phases and Dynamics in Strongly Interacting, Non-Equilibrium Systems

非技术摘要：在平衡中，物质的不同阶段的分类研究得非常好。这导致了对区分例如超导体和磁体的物理学的深刻理解，同时也解释了为什么前者对生物医学磁共振成像(MRI)至关重要，而后者用于电力变压器。这些见解通常植根于热平衡假设。当平衡失败时，我们的许多理解也会失败。该职业奖支持利用量子力学构建块-由原子、离子、分子和光子组成--的基础研究，以探索在强相互作用的非平衡系统中可能出现的新的物质相。为此，国际和平研究所将探索两个相辅相成的方向。第一个方向集中在量子力学系统上，在这些系统中，强烈的无序阻止了平衡的实现。在这一背景下的一个关键问题是，人们是否能够实现物质本质上不平衡的新颖相。第二个方向侧重于理解量子系统如何做到平衡。一个特别令人感兴趣的问题是，平衡是否存在“速度限制”，如果存在，具有远程相互作用的实验AMO系统是否可以达到这个限制。除了这些研究目标，PI还将实施一个多层次的扩展计划，旨在培训、招聘和留住高中、本科生和研究生。一个特别的重点将是建立一个研究沉浸计划和暑期实习计划，旨在帮助两年制大学的本科生获得实践研究经验。该项目还包括资助一项量身定做的导师计划，重点是向本科生和研究生传授有效的科学交流技能，使他们成为社会上科学素养的倡导者。技术摘要：在过去的十年里，原子、分子和光学物理界在控制单个量子的操纵方面取得了显著的进展。这些进展为自下而上实现量子多体系统以及发展新的量子技术打开了大门。该职业奖支持专注于利用与冷原子气体相关的量子光学工具箱来探索非平衡系统中的拓扑相、热化和量子动力学的基础研究。纠缠和关联的非平衡动力学仍然是量子力学中一些最鲜为人知的方面。为此，PI将利用分析理论工具、最先进的数值计算和实验相结合的方式，探索量子相和动力学的新的“普适类”。特别是，PI将表征强相互作用、周期性驱动的Floquet系统中的对称破缺和拓扑序。虽然这种周期性驱动已经成为现代原子系统量子工程中的一种通用工具，但在这样的Floquet系统中可以实现哪些特定类型的新相仍然是一个悬而未决的问题。此外，PI将调查与多体系统的局部量子控制相关的基本问题。这项拟议的研究将集中于利用原子和磁共振光谱学的工具，如量子相位估计和量子非摧毁测量，来操纵无序非平衡系统中的多体激发。这些研究方向还将有助于加强AMO物理学家和凝聚态/量子信息科学家之间的跨学科联系，并在理论概念和实验实施之间提供桥梁对话。

Non-technical Abstract: In equilibrium, the classification of different phases of matter is extremely well-studied. This has led to a deep understanding of the physics that distinguishes between, for example, superconductors and magnets, while also informing why the former is essential for biomedical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the latter used in electrical transformers. These insights are typically rooted in the assumption of thermal equilibrium. When equilibration fails, so does much of our understanding. This CAREER award supports basic research into utilizing quantum mechanical building blocks --- composed of atoms, ions, molecules and photons --- to explore new phases of matter that can emerge in strongly-interacting systems which are out-of-equilibrium. To this end, the PI will explore two complementary directions. The first direction focuses on quantum mechanical systems where strong disorder prevents equilibrium from ever being reached. A key question in this context is whether one can realize novel, intrinsically out-of-equilibrium phases of matter. The second direction focuses on understanding the way in which quantum systems that do equilibrate, manage to do so. A particular question of interest is whether there exists a "speed limit" on equilibration and if so, whether experimental AMO systems with long-range interactions can reach this limit. Alongside these research goals, the PI will implement a multi-layered outreach program aimed at training, recruiting and retaining high school, undergraduate, and graduate students in the physical sciences. A particular focus will be the establishment of a research immersion initiative and summer internship program aimed at helping undergraduate students from two-year colleges gain hands-on research experience. The project also includes funding for a tailored mentorship program focused on teaching undergraduate and graduate students effective skills for science communication, enabling them to become advocates for science literacy in society. Technical Abstract: The last decade has seen the atomic, molecular and optical physics community make remarkable progress in the controlled manipulation of individual quanta. These advances have opened the door for the bottom-up realization of quantum many-body systems as well as the development of novel quantum technologies. This CAREER award supports basic research focused on utilizing the quantum optics toolbox associated with cold-atomic gases to explore topological phases, thermalization, and quantum dynamics in non-equilibrium systems. The non-equilibrium dynamics of entanglement and correlations remain some of the most poorly understood facets of quantum mechanics. To this end, the PI will explore new "universality classes" of quantum phases and dynamics, using a combination of analytic theoretical tools, state-of-the-art numerical computations, and experiments. In particular, the PI will characterize symmetry breaking and topological orders in strongly-interacting, periodically-driven, Floquet systems. While such periodic driving has emerged as a versatile tool in the quantum engineering of modern atomic systems, it remains an open question what specific types of novel phases can be realized in such Floquet systems. In addition, the PI will investigate foundational issues associated with the local quantum control of many-body systems. The proposed study will focus on leveraging tools from atomic and magnetic resonance spectroscopy, such as quantum phase estimation and quantum non-demolition measurement, to manipulate many-body excitations in disordered out-of-equilibrium systems. These research directions will also help to strengthen interdisciplinary connections between AMO physicists and condensed matter / quantum information scientists, as well as to provide a bridging dialogue between theoretical concepts and experimental implementations.