Quantum Coherence: Joint Proposal for Optimising UK Research Capacity and Capability

量子力学的决定性特征是相干性/许多粒子相关态的叠加。量子相关态和纠缠态是物理学几个主要领域的核心，特别是量子光学、原子物理和量子凝聚态。精确控制从光学晶格中的超冷原子到分子内部状态再到半导体纳米结构的广泛系统的能力，导致了对纠缠的理解和潜在应用的重要突破。因为相同的原理是丰富但有时难以理解的量子物质物理学的基础，这些进步为材料中的挑战性问题打开了一扇窗。在凝聚态材料中已经很明显的幸运的多产性强烈地表明，对复杂系统施加完全的量子控制将产生重大的好处。在这个项目中，我们将应对这一艰巨的新挑战。原子、分子和光学物理中相干控制和操纵的基本概念和技术现在已经充分确立，可以考虑原子和分子的设计量子态的合成，这可以解决凝聚态和光学物理中的许多突出问题。此外，建立大规模量子相干系统的能力代表了一种新的能力，我们可以预测新的物理学，迄今为止无法想象的，以及新技术，出现。方法将是通过任命新的教师，建立最先进的研究实验室和设施，以及培育跨几个机构的合作研究项目来提高英国的研究能力。这将通过在研究生和博士后研究人员层面实施新的培训计划来补充，这些计划将广泛地提供给英国社区。

The defining character of quantum mechanics is coherence / the superposition of correlated states of many particles. Quantum correlated and entangled states lie at the heart of several major areas of physics, especially quantum optics, atomic physics and quantum condensed matter. The ability to control precisely a broad range of systems from ultracold atoms in optical lattices to internal states of molecules to semiconductor nanostructures has led to important breakthroughs in the understanding and potential applications of entanglement. Because the same principles underlie the rich but sometimes impenetrable physics of quantum matter, these advances open a window on challenging problems in materials. The fortunate fertility already evident in condensed matter materials suggests strongly that major benefits will accrue from exerting full quantum control of complex systems. Within this project we shall tackle this demanding new challenge. The underlying concepts and technologies of coherent control and manipulation in atomic, molecular and optical physics are now sufficiently established that it is possible to consider the synthesis of designer quantum states of atoms and molecules that can address a number of outstanding problems in condensed matter and optical physics. Furthermore, the ability to build large-scale quantum coherent systems represents such a new capability that we can anticipate new physics, as yet unimagined, as well as new technologies, to emerge.The method of approach will be to increase UK research capacity by the appointment of new faculty and the establishment of state of the art research laboratories and facilities, and the nurturing of collaborative research programs across several institutions. This will be complemented by implementing new training programs at the graduate and postdoctoral researcher level that will be broadly available to the UK community.