Program of low temperature quantum nanoscience

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When matter is cooled to low temperatures new properties often emerge, because as the thermal energy of a system is reduced other, lower energy, effects become more important. For example, there are a large number of materials that exhibit superconductivity at low temperatures, but we do not yet have a single room temperature superconductor. Our research program focuses on phenomena like superconductivity that occur at low temperatures, which are both important to fundamental science and hold the promise of enabling room temperature (or at least higher temperature) applications. Specifically, we combine low temperature techniques with nanoscience and nanofabrication to explore the low temperature physics of nanoscale systems. One aspect of our program is devoted to exploring the crossover from classical to quantum mechanics in nanomechanical resonators. Advances in the manufacture of, and sensitivity to the measurement of, nanomechanical resonators is beginning to reveal quantum properties of nanofabricated devices. Interestingly, these resonators are much larger than the size scale on which quantum mechanics typically reigns. We also use these same nanomechanical resonators as exquisitely sensitive probes of other physical systems at low temperatures, specifically nanoscale superconductors and quantum fluids. Another aspect of our program is exploring how the properties of quantum fluids (i.e. forms of helium that have been cooled to low temperatures and have become governed by the laws of quantum mechanics) change when they are confined to nanoscale dimensions. We are searching for new superfluid phases and other exotic and beautiful phenomenon. Combining the amazing tools of nanoscience, with the ability of low temperature physics to cleanly study interesting systems, will allow us to explore exciting physics previously out of reach.