Quantum Optics with Atomic Ensembles and Arrays

这项研究将利用聚焦激光束中的超冷原子来探索多粒子量子态的产生和运动。当这些原子被置于高激发态（里德伯）原子态时，它们彼此之间会发生强烈的相互作用，迅速导致许多原子以一种非常基本的方式相互连接（所谓的“量子纠缠”）。随后的演化和原子状态的退相干（去除纠缠）将被研究。多粒子纠缠态的有效产生将影响基础物理研究和推进量子增强测量技术。这项研究还将为量子计算和通信、用于导航和磁强计的量子传感器以及原子钟的新兴技术应用提供信息。实验的特点是将单个原子和原子群冷却到微开尔文温度，每个原子都被强聚焦激光束限制。俘获场的频率选择使得约束相对于地面和里德伯原子能级是状态不敏感的。这种方法允许控制强相互作用原子的演化，允许在几十微秒的时间尺度上产生多原子纠缠态，并允许在地面超精细流形内进行秒尺度的纠缠存储。本课程将探讨创造和控制高纠缠态的方法及其在量子限制计量中的应用。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This research will explore the creation and motion of many-particle quantum states using ultra-cold atoms trapped in focused laser beams. When these atoms are placed into highly-excited (Rydberg) atomic states, they interact with each other strongly, rapidly leading to a situation in which many atoms are interconnected in a very fundamental way (so-called "quantum entanglement). Subsequent evolution and decoherence (removal of the entanglement) of atomic states will be studied. Efficient production of multi-particle entangled states will impact fundamental physics investigations and advance quantum-enhanced measurement techniques. This research will also inform emerging technological applications of quantum computation and communication, quantum sensors for navigation and magnetometry, and atomic clocks. The experiments feature an array of individual atoms and atomic ensembles cooled to microKelvin temperatures, each confined by a strongly focused laser beam. The frequency of the trapping field is chosen such that confinement is state-insensitive with respect to ground and Rydberg atomic levels. This approach allows for controlled evolution of strongly-interacting atoms, permitting generation of multi-atom entangled states on the timescale of tens of microseconds and allowing for second-scale entanglement storage within ground hyperfine manifolds. Methods of creating and controlling highly-entangled states and their applications to quantum-limited metrology will be explored.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.