Quantum Many-Body Dynamics of Matter and Light in Cavity-QED

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The overarching goal of this project is to improve our understanding of the quantum dynamics of many-body systems through the study of ultracold atoms coupled to light in a high-finesse optical cavity. This setup offers an unprecedented level of control of external potentials, interactions, and dissipation, with precise real-time monitoring. We will test existing paradigms as well as develop and benchmark new theoretical models. Three theoretical groups, two in Germany (MPIPKS and Saarbrücken University) and one in Austria (Innsbruck University), combine expertise from quantum optics and atomic physics with many-body theory (computational and field-theoretical) and statistical physics. Experiments will be performed by the Swiss nodes, at ETHZ and at EPFL. Taken together, these two groups represent more than one third of all quantum gases in cavity experiments worldwide and are complementary in terms of quantum statistics (bosonic versus fermionic atoms), characteristic timescales, as well as types of interatomic interactions. In particular, the project aims at exploring quantum metastability originating from cavity-mediated interactions and its competition with short-range interatomic interactions, from constraints like gauge invariance, or from the tendency of the system to form localized states in the form of self-bound droplets. A central role in the investigations is played by drive and dissipation, not only in modifying the scenarios just mentioned, but also in creating novel stationary or also non-stationary many-body states. In addition, cavity-induced dissipation will be explored as a resource for reducing entropy and improving quantum algorithms such as optimization.