RUI: Bosons in Optical Lattices: dynamics and criticality in inhomogeneous systems

该奖项支持相互作用量子多体系统建模的理论和计算研究以及本科培训。重点将是探索超冷原子在光学晶格势中的新特性，光学晶格势是研究量子相、动力学和临界现象的理想系统。使用分析和数值技术的结合，PI将研究这些系统在系统参数改变后的时间演化，即淬火。本研究利用了在光学陷阱中超冷原子的实验室控制方面的最新进展，包括原子间相互作用的强度、光学晶格势的强度和限制陷阱的形状，以及随意或多或少改变这些实验参数的能力。这项研究和教育活动的特点是通过指导的独立项目对韦尔斯利学院的本科生进行这些主题的培训。对微观参数的控制，以及在被困的超冷气体中存在的宏观几何形状，使得创造出几乎完美的相互作用玻色子或费米子系统成为可能。能够在本质上瞬间改变这些系统的相互作用、移动性和几何形状，将产生对量子多体物理的新理解，并允许对基本量子行为进行新的测试。由该奖项资助的研究将重点关注这些系统在实验参数变化之后和期间的动力学，并将对超流体和莫特绝缘量子相中的量子动力学和量子临界现象产生新的见解。原子系统在探索多体凝聚态物质模型和测试量子力学基础方面有着巨大的前景。玻色子的超流体相和莫特绝缘相理论，以及它们之间的量子相变理论，对超导系统有着直接的影响。增加对相互作用玻色子原子的理解可以导致对强相互作用超导系统的量子动力学的见解，并可能因此有助于新电子设备的开发。基于光学晶格中超冷原子的量子计算的进一步进展取决于对这些具有空间依赖参数的有限量子系统的动力学的更好理解。在淬灭过程中，系统参数的快速变化会导致非局部现象，这些现象可以用于未来的算法。该奖项支持的工作将为该领域未来的实验发展和示范有希望的方向。该奖项支持的研究将在韦尔斯利学院（Wellesley College）进行。并将在整个项目期间通过独立研究项目（包括高级论文和暑期研究）培养本科生。这将吸引本科生从事前沿物理研究，并培养他们先进的理论方法。本科项目将包括超流体区域的水动力模式的分析和数值工作，超流体系统从陷阱中释放后的膨胀，以及被困BECs中漩涡的形成。这些本科生研究项目将为一所小型文理学院中代表性不足的物理系学生提供获得超冷原子新兴领域理论建模技能和工作知识的机会。该奖项支持理论和计算研究以及本科生培训，以探索激光光束中温度接近绝对零度的原子的新特性。这是一个理想的系统来研究量子力学和物质的新状态，以一种可控的方式，这是在研究材料中的电子或被困在人造材料结构中难以实现的。PI将结合分析理论和计算技术来执行这个项目。这项研究将有助于我们理解量子系统环境的变化如何影响它随时间演变的方式。这项研究利用了实验室控制激光捕获的超冷原子系统的最新进展。该研究的特点是通过指导的独立项目对韦尔斯利学院的本科生进行这些主题的培训。有了超冷原子，就有可能创造出几乎完美的相互作用粒子系统，这些粒子的行为符合量子力学的规则。对该系统的研究将使人们对量子多体物理有新的认识，并对量子力学理论进行新的检验。该奖项支持的研究将集中在一个由超冷原子组成的系统如何对其环境中的突然变化做出反应，例如快速挤压。这种反应将对量子系统从一个相转变为另一个相的方式产生新的见解。对俘获冷原子（一种光晶体）的研究有望推进对固态材料的理解，并测试量子力学的基础。量子粒子的相理论，以及这些相之间的转变，对理解固体和超导体中强相互作用的电子有直接的影响。超导体是一种可以导电而不耗散的材料。这种对物质状态的基本理解的贡献为未来技术的智力基础做出了贡献。超冷原子可以实现一种通过操纵量子力学状态来运行的新型计算机。为了进一步发展，需要更好地了解超冷原子系统的动力学。在“淬灭”中，系统参数迅速改变，导致非局部现象，这些现象可以用于未来的量子计算算法。该奖项支持的研究将为该领域的未来实验提供有希望的方向。该奖项支持的研究将在韦尔斯利学院（Wellesley College）进行。并将在整个项目期间通过独立研究项目（包括高级论文和暑期研究）培养本科生。这将吸引本科生从事前沿物理研究，并培养他们先进的理论方法。本科项目将包括超流体区域的水动力模式的分析和数值工作，超流体系统从陷阱中释放后的膨胀，以及被困BECs中漩涡的形成。这些本科生研究项目将为一所小型文理学院中代表性不足的物理系学生提供获得超冷原子新兴领域理论建模技能和工作知识的机会。

TECHNICAL SUMMARYThis award supports theoretical and computational research and undergraduate training in the modeling of interacting quantum many-body systems. The focus will be to explore the novel properties of ultracold atoms in optical lattice potentials, an ideal system for the study of quantum phases, dynamics, and critical phenomena. Using a combination of analytical and numerical techniques, the PI will study the time evolution of these systems after a change in the system's parameters, a quench. This research exploits recent advances in laboratory control over ultracold atoms in optical traps, including the strength of the interatomic interactions, strength of the optical lattice potential, and shape of the confining trap, and the ability to vary these experimental parameters more or less at will. This research and education activity features the training of undergraduates at Wellesley College in these topics through mentored independent projects.The control over microscopic parameters as well as the macroscopic geometry present in trapped ultracold gases allows the creation of nearly perfect systems of interacting bosons or fermions. The ability to alter the interactions, mobility, and geometry of these systems essentially instantaneously will produce new understanding of quantum many-body physics and allow new tests of fundamental quantum behavior. The research funded by this award will focus on the dynamics of these systems after and during changes in an experimental parameter and will yield new insight into quantum dynamics and quantum critical phenomena in superfluid and Mott-insulating quantum phases. Atomic systems hold great promise to probe models of many-body condensed matter and to test the foundations of quantum mechanics. Theories of superfluid and Mott-insulating phases of bosons, as well as the quantum phase transition between them, have direct bearing on superconducting systems. Increased understanding of interacting bosonic atoms can lead to insights into the quantum dynamics of strongly-interacting superconducting systems, and may consequently aid the development of new electronic devices. Further progress in quantum computing based on ultracold atoms in optical lattices depends on a better understanding of the dynamics of these finite quantum systems with spatially-dependent parameters. Quenches in which a system parameter is quickly changed lead to non-local phenomena that could be harnessed for future algorithms. The work supported with this award will develop and model promising directions for future experiments in this area.The research supported through this award will be carried out at Wellesley College, a non-Ph.D.-granting women's college and will train undergraduates through independent research projects -- including senior theses and summer research -- throughout its duration. This will engage undergraduates in cutting-edge physics research and training them in advanced theoretical methods. Undergraduate projects will include analytical and numerical work on the hydrodynamic modes of superfluid regions, the expansion of superfluid systems after release from their traps, and the formation of vortices in trapped BECs. These undergraduate research projects will give underrepresented physics students at a small liberal arts college the opportunity to gain theoretical modeling skills and working knowledge of the emerging field of ultracold atoms.NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARYThis award supports theoretical and computational research and undergraduate training to explore the novel properties of atoms close to the absolute zero in temperature trapped in beams of laser light. This turns out to be an ideal system for to study quantum mechanics and new states of matter in a controlled way that is difficult to achieve in the study of electrons in materials or trapped in artificial material structures. The PI will use a combination of analytical theory and computational techniques to carry out this project. The research will contribute to our understanding of how a change in the environment of a quantum system affects the way it evolves in time. This research exploits recent advances in laboratory control over systems of ultracold atoms trapped in laser light. The research features the training of undergraduates at Wellesley College in these topics through mentored independent projects.With ultracold atoms, it is possible to create nearly perfect systems of interacting particles that behave according to the rules of quantum mechanics. The study of this system will enable new understanding of quantum many-body physics and allow new tests of the theory of quantum mechanics. The research supported by this award will focus on how a system of ultracold atoms, responds to an abrupt change in its environment, for example a rapid squeeze. The response will yield new insight into the way quantum systems transform from one phase to another. The study of trapped cold atoms, a kind of crystal of light, holds promise to advance understanding of solid state materials and to test the foundations of quantum mechanics. Theories of the phases of quantum particles, as well as the transition between these phases, have direct bearing on understanding strongly interacting electrons in solids as well as superconductors. Superconductors are materials that can conduct electrical current without dissipation. This contribution to the fundamental understanding of states of matter contributes to the intellectual foundations of future technologies. Ultracold atoms may enable the realization of a new kind of computer that functions through the manipulation of quantum mechanical states. A better understanding of the dynamics of ultracold atom systems is needed for further advance. "Quenches" in which a system parameter is quickly changed lead to non-local phenomena that could be harnessed for future quantum-computing algorithms. The research supported under this award will contribute promising directions for future experiments in this area.The research supported through this award will be carried out at Wellesley College, a non-Ph.D.-granting women's college and will train undergraduates through independent research projects -- including senior theses and summer research -- throughout its duration. This will engage undergraduates in cutting-edge physics research and training them in advanced theoretical methods. Undergraduate projects will include analytical and numerical work on the hydrodynamic modes of superfluid regions, the expansion of superfluid systems after release from their traps, and the formation of vortices in trapped BECs. These undergraduate research projects will give underrepresented physics students at a small liberal arts college the opportunity to gain theoretical modeling skills and working knowledge of the emerging field of ultracold atoms.