CAREER: Probing Non-Equilibrium Dynamics with Ultracold Atoms in Optical, Phononic, and Photonic Lattices

非技术综述了解量子系统中的非平衡动力学一直是量子物理和材料研究的主要焦点。应用范围从操纵固体中的热和电子传输到控制量子网络中的信息传播，量子网络的行为类似于一个相互作用的量子系统。然而，在某些量子材料中，非平衡动力学并没有被很好地理解，特别是对于那些成分之间具有强烈相互作用的材料。为了获得感兴趣的量子动力学的精确知识，人们非常需要一种具有精确的局域探测和控制的量子材料。该职业奖支持一项实验研究和教育计划，该计划旨在为探索难以捉摸的非平衡量子动力学而组装一种设计量子材料。该材料由一个冷的中性原子阵列组成，每个原子冷却到其量子力学基态，并由光学、声子和纳米光子晶格形成的新势能控制，以模拟各种类型的量子材料。该项目旨在归纳和探索各种以前没有实现的量子动力学现象。该项目的成功将促进对原子量子材料的控制，并加深对量子多体和统计物理的理解。由于该研究项目涉及广泛的实验技术，该项目将为研究生和本科生提供坚实的研究培训。此外，该项目将与普渡物理和天文学外展办公室合作，启动一个中学年级外展计划，旨在改善未被充分代表的少数族裔学生的学习资本和STEM职业定向。技术概述该职业奖项支持一个实验研究和教育计划，该计划使用最先进的冷原子工具箱来探索原子量子气体中的非平衡动力学，用于光学、声子和纳米光子晶格工程。这个职业项目的一个重点是探索光学晶格中原子量子气体的量子临界动力学。特别是，PI将采用一种新的实验方案来访问超流体到Mott绝缘体的量子临界点，从而能够以各种方式探索到目前为止仍然难以捉摸的关键热力学和运输问题。此外，PI将探索准粒子控制，以在超流量子气体中设计声子带隙晶体，这种晶体可以抑制声子传输，就像电子带隙对固态晶体中的电子所做的那样。它可以被设计成操纵超流体样品中的热和熵传输。PI将对声子晶体进行动态控制，从而允许探索电动力学现象的声子类似物。对于这个探索新量子动力学的职业项目的长期目标，PI将致力于进一步将超冷原子与纳米光子晶格相结合，形成一种设计性的杂化材料，其中原子-表面Casimir-Polder相互作用为进入新的量子动力学区域提供了深亚波长晶格潜力。该项目的成功将促进我们理解量子临界动力学的知识，为声子带隙材料中的量子输运提供有价值的见解，并可能导致用一种设计者设计的杂化量子材料观察到意想不到的新量子现象。这个研究项目所涉及的广泛的实验技术将为研究生和本科生提供坚实的研究培训。此外，该项目将与普渡大学物理和天文学外展办公室合作，启动一个中学年级外展计划，旨在改善未被充分代表的少数族裔学生的学习资本和STEM职业定向。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Non-technical summaryUnderstanding non-equilibrium dynamics in quantum systems has been a major focus in quantum physics and materials research. Applications range from manipulating thermal and electronic transport in solids to controlling information propagation in a quantum network that behaves like an interacting quantum system. Non-equilibrium dynamics is however not very well-understood in certain quantum materials, especially for those with strong interactions between constituents. To gain precise knowledge on the quantum dynamics of interest, a quantum material with precise local probes and control is highly desired. This CAREER award supports an experimental research and education program to assemble a designer quantum material for the exploration of elusive non-equilibrium quantum dynamics. The proposed material consists of an array of cold neutral atoms, each cooled to its quantum mechanical ground state, and controlled by novel potentials formed by optical, phononic and nanophotonic lattices to mimic various types of quantum materials. The project aims at inducing and probing a variety of quantum dynamical phenomena not previously realized. Success in this project will lead to advancement in controlling atomic quantum materials and in deeper understanding of quantum many-body and statistical physics. Due to broad experimental techniques involved in this research program, the project will provide solid research training for both graduate and undergraduate students. Furthermore, in collaboration with the Purdue Physics and Astronomy Outreach office, the project will initiate a secondary-grade outreach program aimed at improving the learning capital and STEM career orientation of underrepresented minority students.Technical summaryThis CAREER award supports an experimental research and education program to explore non-equilibrium dynamics in an atomic quantum gas using a state-of-the-art cold atom toolbox for optical, phononic, and nanophotonic lattice engineering. One thrust of this CAREER project is probing quantum critical dynamics of an atomic quantum gas in an optical lattice. In particular, the PI will employ a new experimental scheme to access a superfluid-to-Mott insulator quantum critical point, enabling various ways to explore critical thermodynamics and transport problems that have remained elusive to date. Furthermore, the PI will explore quasiparticle control to engineer a phononic band gap crystal in a superfluid quantum gas that can inhibit phonon transport, just as electronic band gaps do to electrons in solid state crystals. It can be engineered to manipulate thermal and entropy transport in a superfluid sample. The PI will perform dynamical control of the phononic crystals, therefore allowing for the exploration of phononic analogues of electrodynamics phenomena. For a long-term goal of this CAREER project on probing novel quantum dynamics, the PI will aim at further integrating ultracold atoms with nanophotonic lattices to form a designer hybrid material, where the atom-surface Casimir-Polder interaction provides a deep subwavelength lattice potential for entering new regimes of quantum dynamics. Success in this project will advance our knowledge in understanding quantum critical dynamics, provide valuable insights to quantum transport in phononic bandgap materials, and potentially lead to the observation of unexpected new quantum phenomena with a designer hybrid quantum material. The broad experimental techniques involved in this research program will provide solid research training for both graduate and undergraduate students. Furthermore, in collaboration with the Purdue Physics and Astronomy Outreach office, the project will initiate a secondary-grade outreach program, aimed at improving the learning capital and STEM career orientation of underrepresented minority students.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.