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

摘要：在平衡态中，物质的不同相的分类被研究得非常透彻。这导致了对物理学的深刻理解，例如，超导体和磁体之间的区别，同时也说明了为什么前者对于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的假设。当平衡失效时，我们的大部分理解也会失效。这一职业奖支持利用由原子、离子、分子和光子组成的量子力学构建块的基础研究，以探索物质的新阶段，这些阶段可能出现在强相互作用的非平衡系统中。为此，PI将探索两个互补的方向。第一个方向侧重于量子力学系统，在这些系统中，强无序性阻止了平衡状态的实现。在这种情况下的一个关键问题是，人们是否能够实现物质的新颖的、本质上不平衡的相。第二个方向侧重于理解量子系统平衡的方式，并设法做到这一点。一个特别有趣的问题是是否存在平衡的“速度极限”，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极限。除了这些研究目标，PI还将实施一项多层次的外展计划，旨在培训、招募和留住物理科学领域的高中生、本科生和研究生。一个特别的重点将是建立一个研究沉浸倡议和暑期实习项目，旨在帮助两年制大学的本科生获得实践研究经验。该项目还包括为一项量身定制的指导计划提供资金，该计划的重点是向本科生和研究生传授有效的科学传播技能，使他们成为社会上科学素养的倡导者。技术摘要：近十年来，原子、分子和光学物理界在控制单个量子方面取得了显著进展。这些进展为量子多体系统的自底向上实现以及新型量子技术的发展打开了大门。该职业奖支持的基础研究重点是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。纠缠和相关的非平衡动力学仍然是量子力学中一些最难以理解的方面。为此，PI将结合分析理论工具、最先进的数值计算和实验，探索量子相和动力学的新“普适类”。特别是，PI将描述强相互作用，周期性驱动的Floquet系统中的对称破缺和拓扑顺序。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通用工具，但在这种Floquet系统中可以实现哪些特定类型的新相位仍然是一个悬而未决的问题。此外，PI将研究与多体系统的局部量子控制相关的基础问题。提出的研究将侧重于利用原子和磁共振光谱的工具，如量子相位估计和量子非拆除测量，来操纵无序非平衡系统中的多体激发。这些研究方向也将有助于加强AMO物理学家与凝聚态/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现之间提供桥梁对话。

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.