Presidential Young Investigator Award: Quantum Optics Experiments Utilizing Laser Cooling and Trapping (Physics)

将在激光冷却和俘获领域进行研究，特别是在亚毫开尔文的超低能量温度下研究原子之间的相互作用。这些包括直接（碰撞）相互作用，如缔合电离、辐射缔合和电荷交换，以及间接辐射效应，如超辐射和辐射俘获。其中一个项目是创建一个超冷致密里德伯原子样本，并使用直流电场捕获它们。当里德伯原子的大小成为平均原子间距的显著部分时，可能观察到从绝缘体到金属的相变（莫特转变）。

Research will be undertaken in the field of laser cooling and trapping, particularly in studying the interactions between atoms in this ultra-low energy sub-milli Kelvin temperature regime. These include direct (collisional) interactions such as associative ionization, radiative association, and charge exchange and indirect radiation effects such as super-radiance and radiation trapping. One project is to create a sample of ultra-cold dense Rydberg atoms and trap them using DC electric fields. It may be possible to observe a phase transition (Mott transition) from an insulator to a metal when the size of Rydberg atoms becomes a significant fraction of the average interatomic spacing.