Shaping the quantum vacuum around atoms and molecules

原子或分子等量子发射体处于基础物理测试、计量学和量子技术的最前沿。不断增长的微型化需求使原子和分子靠近固态表面，从而导致杂化。固态平台改变了电磁场的真空涨落，不可避免地改变了量子发射器的内部结构，如能级、辐射寿命和对称性。相反，以受控的方式构建原子和分子周围的环境提供了一种独特的方式来塑造电磁波动并调整量子系统的特性。该项目旨在探索原子或分子与真空的相互作用，通过宏观物体的热激发表面模式进行定制和着色。它将来自德国的罗斯托克大学的原子和分子-表面相互作用方面的一个理论专家小组与巴黎大学的一个实验小组结合起来，热蒸气室是一个紧凑的平台，包含原子或分子，将原子和分子与固体表面相互作用，用于量子物理实验和量子技术的状态设备。制造新一代量子器件不可避免地需要原子和分子与平面和纳米结构表面相互作用的基本知识。我们将追求以下目标：1）我们将探测里德伯原子与电介质表面的相互作用，证明多极相互作用超出了通常的偶极-偶极相互作用近似，2）我们将利用透射光谱探测分子气体纳米胞内的分子-表面相互作用，并研究分子相对于表面的取向的影响。（分子-表面相互作用的各向异性），3）我们将制造具有纳米结构窗口（平面超材料）的新一代蒸气室，用于定制原子（分子）-表面相互作用。4)我们将在纳米结构细胞中用光谱探测里德伯原子，再加上太赫兹谐振器，并演示里德伯表面相互作用的调谐。该提案的主要优势来自理论和实验之间的密切合作。最终，所获得的知识将使我们能够塑造原子和分子周围的量子真空。虽然原子和分子表面相互作用的研究属于基础量子物理学领域，但它们可能对量子技术、物理化学、天体物理学、流体动力学甚至生物学都有影响。

Quantum emitters such as atoms or molecules are at the forefront of fundamental physics tests, metrology and quantum technology. The growing need for miniaturization puts atoms and molecules in close proximity to solid-state surfaces leading to hybridization. Solid-state platforms modify the vacuum fluctuations of the electromagnetic field, inevitably changing the quantum emitter's internal structure such as energy levels, radiative lifetimes, and symmetry properties. Conversely, structuring the environment around atoms and molecules in a controlled fashion provides a unique way to shape the electromagnetic fluctuations and tune the properties of quantum systems. The project aims to explore the interaction of an atom or molecule with the vacuum, tailored and colored by thermally excited surface modes of macroscopic bodies. It combines one theory group of experts in atom and molecule-surface interactions, from the University of Rostock in Germany, with an experimental group in the University of Paris 13, specialists in near-field atom and molecule-surface interactions in vapour cells.Thermal vapour cells containing atoms or molecules are compact platforms that interface atoms and molecules with solid-state devices for the purposes of quantum physics experiments and quantum technologies. Fabricating this new generation of quantum devices requires inevitably fundamental knowledge of the interaction of atoms and molecules with planar and nanostructured surfaces.We will pursue the following objectives: 1) We will probe the interaction of Rydberg atoms with dielectric surfaces demonstrating multipole interactions beyond the usual dipole-dipole interaction approximation, 2) We will probe the molecule-surface interaction with transmission spectroscopy inside molecular gas nanocells and we will investigate the effects of molecular orientation with respect to the surface (anisotropy of molecule-surface interactions), 3) We will fabricate a new generation of vapour cells with nanostructured windows (planar metamaterials) for tailoring the atom (molecule)-surface interaction. 4) We will spectroscopically probe Rydberg atoms in nanostructured cells, coupled with terahertz resonators and demonstrate tuning of the Rydberg-surface interaction.The proposal's main strength results from a close collaboration between theory and experiment. Ultimately, the knowledge gained will allow us to shape the quantum vacuum around atoms and molecules. Although the studies of atom and molecule surface interactions lie in the field of fundamental quantum physics they could have implications to quantum technologies, physical chemistry, astrophysics, fluid dynamics, and even biology.