Exploring New Frontiers in Spin-1 Dynamics, Geometry and Metrology

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This research will explore the behavior of small clouds of atoms cooled close to absolute zero and interacting primarily via their magnetic spins. This research will advance the fundamental understanding of the quantum dynamics of many-particle systems, which is an area of fundamental physics important to condensed matter physics, nuclear physics and astrophysics. In addition, this research will inform important technological applications including precision sensors for navigation and magnetometry, atomic clocks and emerging quantum technologies including quantum information and communication.The experiments use small clouds of rubidium-87 atoms that are cooled to temperatures less than 100 nanoKelvin above absolute zero and confined with laser beams in an evacuated chamber. At these low temperatures, the atoms form a Bose-Einstein condensate, which is a unique quantum phase of matter. This project focuses on the dynamics of the intrinsic spin of the atoms, which is a fundamental component of quantum magnetism. The experiments feature precise control of the quantum states of the atoms using external fields, a well-characterized dynamics, a quantum phase transition, and low-noise tomographic quantum state measurement capabilities. These tools will permit studies of finite size effects of a quantum phase transition in the neighborhood of the critical point, demonstration of new methods of creating and controlling highly entangled states of the ensembles, and investigation of new non-Abelian geometrical phases unique to spin-1 systems.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.