Theoretical AMO Studies for Enhanced Understanding and Control of Emergent Quantum Physics

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The quantum mechanical behavior of individual particles (such as atoms, molecules, or photons) is well understood. The collective behavior of many such particles, however, is more complicated. The latest generation of Atomic, Molecular, and Optical experiments have revealed a number of open questions about such "emergent" physics. This theoretical physics project aims to answer some of these questions. In particular, it asks: "Can noise be used as a tool to control the behavior of quantum systems?" and "How does order develop in quantum systems?" Answering these fundamental questions would have wide impact on the development of materials, novel electronic devices, and quantum information processing technology, all of which rely on the behavior of collections of particles.There are two primary systems considered in these studies: (a) Light confined in optical cavities and (b) neutral atoms trapped in magnetic or optical potentials. The former system is ideal for exploring questions involving quantum dissipation: the central noise source, photon loss, is under experimental control. The broad question of using dissipation for quantum control will be addressed by systematically developing protocols which produce ever more complicated non-classical optical states. The neutral atom systems are ideal for studying ordering and kinetics. The project involves developing new computational tools (a generalization of the Density Matrix Renormalization Group), and combining these with the traditional tools of many-body physics to explore dynamics, equilibration, and ordering in isolated quantum 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.