Quantum Phases, Interactions and Topology of Dressed BECs

当原子气体冷却到接近绝对零度的温度时，它表现出量子力学理论所描述的不同寻常的行为。根据这一理论，原子同时具有粒子状和波状两种性质，这导致了日常生活中基于普通经验似乎并不直观的行为。该项目包括一系列研究，使用定制的激光和射频场来研究内在的量子力学现象，包括物质的异常状态，原子间相互作用在精确测量方案中的作用，以及使用超冷原子模拟一般量子系统的新范式。该项目将通过在涉及量子复杂性的受控环境中提供对复杂量子力学效应的洞察，同时保持足够简单，以适应新的数学描述的发展，从而促进科学和技术的进步。由于量子力学行为不仅在超低温领域占据主导地位，而且在非常小的维度领域也占据主导地位，通过该项目获得的知识也将为下一代纳米电子器件、精密测量或量子信息的发展提供动力。这个项目使用的是稀有气体玻色-爱因斯坦凝聚体，这种凝聚体是由Rb原子冷却到接近零开尔文的温度而形成的。凝聚态中的原子形成了一个宏观的量子系统，可以非常灵活的方式进行操作和探测。该项目包括一系列步骤：首先，通过采用适当定制的由拉曼耦合场和光学晶格叠加组成的光场，将研究首席研究员最近在实验室实现的超固态激发光谱。其次，一组精确的测量将在原子干涉计量学的背景下调查相互作用效应在拉曼修饰方案和射频耦合方案中的作用。这将阐明相互作用对于量子模拟模拟的重要性。这些相互作用效应将在自旋张量-动量耦合方案的背景下提供一个明确的演示，该方案导致了各种新的量子相。最后，利用耦合内态的参数空间，实验实现了一种新的量子模拟范式。这种方法具有实现拓扑单极子的潜力，增强了我们对先进量子力学概念的洞察。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

When a gas of atoms is cooled to a temperature close to absolute zero, it exhibits unusual behavior described by the theory of quantum mechanics. According to this theory, atoms have both a particle-like and a wave-like nature at the same time, which gives rise to behaviors that do not seem intuitive based on ordinary experience in everyday life. This project consists of a line of research using tailored laser and radio-frequency fields to investigate inherently quantum mechanical phenomena including unusual states of matter, the role of interatomic interactions in precision measurement schemes, and a new paradigm for modelling general quantum systems using ultracold atoms. This project will promote the progress of science and technology by providing insight into intricate quantum mechanical effects in a well-controlled environment that involves quantum complexities while remaining simple enough to be amenable to the development of new mathematical descriptions. Since quantum mechanical behavior becomes dominant not only in the realm of ultracold temperatures but also in the realm of very small dimensions, the knowledge acquired through this project will also provide impetus for the development of next generation nanoelectronics devices, for precision measurement or for quantum information. This project uses dilute-gas Bose-Einstein condensates formed by cooling rubidium atoms to temperatures near zero Kelvin. The atoms in the condensate form a macroscopic quantum system that can be manipulated and probed in very flexible ways. The project consists of a series of steps: First, by employing a suitably tailored light field comprised of the superposition of a Raman coupling field and an optical lattice, the excitation spectrum of a supersolid-like state will be studied that the Principal Investigator has recently realized in the lab. Second, a set of precision measurements will investigate the role of interaction effects in Raman dressing schemes and radio-frequency coupling schemes within the context of atom interferometry. This will illuminate the importance of interactions for quantum analog simulations. A clear cut demonstration of these interaction effects will be provided in the context of a spin tensor-momentum coupling scheme that leads to a variety of novel quantum phases. Finally, a new paradigm for quantum analog simulation will be experimentally realized by exploiting the parameter space of coupled internal states. This method has the potential to realize topological monopoles, enhancing our insight into advanced quantum mechanical concepts.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.