CAREER: Exploring exotic matter through the quantum manipulation of dipolar atoms

该职业奖支持一个实验项目，通过开发对偶极原子的量子操纵使能技术来创造和研究奇异形式的物质。高磁性原子的超冷气体，如镝，提供了在存在远程相互作用的情况下探索强相关物质的机会，这在其他实验环境中很难实现。将开发技术来执行镝的第一次激光冷却和捕获-以及随后的光学晶格限制。这一成就将导致对物质奇异态的研究，在一些情况下，这些奇异态是对不符合标准费米液体理论的凝聚态材料的描述的基础，这些材料虽然在技术上相关，但人们对它们知之甚少。具体来说，利用费米子Dy研究量子液晶的基态，以及探索扩展玻色-哈伯德（EBH）模型预测的非均匀相，将有可能通过Dy冷却到简并。超越量子液晶和EBH物理，发展超冷Dy技术将导致利用Dy's电信量子跃迁和Dy's巨磁矩实现电信波段量子信息处理和发展超高灵敏度，高分辨率的奇异凝聚态系统原子芯片显微镜。与研究计划相辅相成的是通过日常技术教授物理的计划：将GPS技术的主题与从研究计划中获得的技术专长相结合，通过开发原子钟实验室模块，向本科物理专业学生和高中“教师领导”教授核心物理原理。该模块将服务于三个教育任务：通过在伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校的EnLiST NSF数学和科学合作伙伴关系（MSP）计划，通过培训高中教师领导，促进K-12学生在科学方面的成就；增加PHYS 403现代实验物理实验室，向高年级物理专业学生介绍尖端科学和技术职业所需的技能和主题；并为硕士科学教学计划的参与者提供动手实验室经验，这是一个即将由物理系为伊利诺伊州教师提供的认证计划。

This CAREER award supports an experimental program to create and study exotic forms of matter by developing the enabling technology for the quantum manipulation of dipolar atoms. Ultracold gases of highly magnetic atoms, such as dysprosium, offer opportunities to explore strongly correlated matter in the presence of long-range interactions in a manner difficult to achieve in other experimental settings. Techniques will be developed to perform the first laser cooling and trapping---and subsequent confinement in optical lattices---of dysprosium. This achievement will lead to the investigation of exotic states of matter that, in several cases, underlie proposed descriptions of poorly understood, though technologically relevant, condensed matter materials that do not obey standard Fermi liquid theory. Specifically, investigation of the ground states of quantum liquid crystals using fermionic Dy, as well as explorations of the inhomogeneous phases predicted by the extended Bose-Hubbard (EBH) model, will be possible through the cooling of Dy to degeneracy. Looking beyond quantum liquid crystal and EBH physics, developing ultracold Dy technology will lead to the exploitation of both Dy's telecom qubit transition and Dy's colossal magnetic moment for the realization of telecom-band quantum information processing and the development of ultra-high sensitivity, high-resolution atom chip microscopy of exotic condensed matter systems.Complementing the research program is a plan to teach physics through everyday technology: Combining the theme of GPS technology with the technical expertise drawn from this research program, core physics principles will be taught to undergraduate physics majors and high school "teacher leaders" through the development of a laboratory module on atomic clocks. This module will serve three educational missions: contributing to the improvement of K-12 student achievement in science by training high school teacher leaders via the EnLiST NSF Math and Science Partnership (MSP) program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; augmenting the PHYS 403 Modern Experimental Physics lab that introduces upper-level undergraduate physics majors to skills and topics required for cutting-edge careers in science and technology; and providing hands-on laboratory experience for participants in a Master's Science Teaching Program, an upcoming accreditation program for Illinois teachers provided by the Department of Physics.