Theoretical Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics at JILA

这个小组提案是为了支持三个研究小组在理论原子、分子和光学物理领域的问题。这三个小组主要研究超冷气体的物理学，着眼于将其作为可控量子系统加以利用，以及克服目前我们理解中的瓶颈和限制。多年来，三位主要研究人员在专业知识方面取得了互补，他们的密切联系、经常沟通的便利和共同的兴趣加强了这种互补。由此产生的兴趣和能力的协同作用使这三个小组能够有效地深入研究广泛的问题。顺便提到，报告的结果是五年期间的，尽管上次审查的供资周期只涵盖2003年春季开始的三年间隔。自2006年春季以来，额外的两年资金是作为NSF创新扩展提供的。这里提出的研究的智力价值主要源于这样一个事实，即该建议解决了超冷量子气体领域中当前感兴趣的许多问题。稀量子气体研究最近在简并费米气体中观察到库珀型配对，以及类似于BCS超导的相关相变。简并费米气体的这一特性和其他特性继续对理论提出新的挑战，并且仍然是深入研究的丰富领域。原子在光学晶格中的行为是一个处于起步阶段的领域，特别是与磁性费什巴赫共振相结合，它也将受到本项目的理论关注。推广二体散射理论来处理极性分子之间的碰撞已被证明是非常具有挑战性的，这将是未来资助期集中努力的重点。三体重组和四体散射重排碰撞也计划进行协调的理论攻击。研究人员已经在与该提议相关的许多领域建立了专业知识，其中部分重叠，包括量子光学，多体理论，两体散射物理，有无修整激光场存在，以及少体相互作用和重组过程。预计下一个资助期将产生更广泛的影响，主要集中在培养理论原子、分子和光学物理方面的研究生。所有申请的资金都是为了支持研究生，大约每年三名研究人员平均分配。

This group proposal is to support three research groups investigating problems in the field of theoretical atomic, molecular, and optical physics. These three groups work primarily on the physics of ultracold gases, with an eye toward exploiting them as controllable quantum systems, as well as overcoming present bottlenecks and limitations in our understanding. The three principal investigators have acquired complementary areas of expertise over the years, which are strengthened by their close ties, ease of regular communication, and common interests. The resulting synergy of interests and abilities enables these three groups to delve efficiently into a broad range of problems. Parenthetically, it is mentioned that the results being reported are for a five year period even though the last reviewed funding cycle only covered a 3-year interval that began in the spring of 2003. The additional two years of funding since spring of 2006 were provided as an NSF Creativity Extension. The intellectual merit of the research proposed here primarily derives from the fact that this proposal tackles numerous problems of contemporary interest in the field of ultracold quantum gases. Dilute quantum gas research has recently observed Cooper-type pairing in a degenerate Fermi gas, and an associated phase transition akin to BCS superconductivity. This and other properties of a degenerate Fermi gas continue to pose new challenges for theory, and remain rich areas for deeper investigations. The behavior of atoms in optical lattices is a field in its infancy, particularly in conjunction with magnetic Feshbach resonances, and it will receive theoretical attention from this project as well. Generalizations of two-body scattering theory to handle collisions between two polar molecules have proven to be tremendously challenging, and they will be the focus of concentrated effort in the coming funding period. Three-body recombination and four-body scattering and rearrangement collisions are also planned for concerted theoretical attack. The investigators have established expertise in many areas relevant to this proposal, which partially overlap, including quantum optics, many-body theory, two-body scattering physics with and without a dressing laser field present, and few-body interactions and recombination processes. The broader impacts expected to result from the next funding period are centered squarely on the training of graduate students in theoretical atomic, molecular, and optical physics. All of the funds requested are aimed at the support of graduate students, approximately three per year divided evenly among the three investigators.