| EPSRC Reference: |
EP/I004394/1 |
| Title: |
Quantum optics with ultracold quantum gases |
| Principal Investigator: |
Mekhov, Dr I |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Oxford Physics |
| Organisation: |
University of Oxford |
| Scheme: |
Career Acceleration Fellowship |
| Starts: |
31 March 2011 |
Ends: |
30 April 2016 |
Value (£): |
756,624
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| No relevance to Underpinning Sectors |
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| Related Grants: |
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| Panel History: |
| Panel Date | Panel Name | Outcome |
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02 Jun 2010
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EPSRC Fellowships 2010 Interview Panel C
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Announced
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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The aim of this project is to develop a theory of novel phenomena, which join two broad and intensively developing fields of modern physics: quantum optics and ultracold quantum gases. A unified theoretical approach will consider both light and matter at an ultimate quantum level, the level that only very recently became accessible experimentally. Moreover, the theoretical models developed for atoms will be effectively applied to other systems used in solid state nanophotonics.Optics is one of the most well-established disciplines in physics. Even classical optics, treating light as classical waves, led to important discoveries and technological breakthroughs. A new era in physics started in the 20th century with the creation of the quantum theory and invention of a laser, when the concept of photons (quantum particles of light) came into existence and became testable. This gave rise to quantum optics that studies nonclassical light, where any wave description fails.In the last decades of the 20th century, the progress in laser cooling of atoms led to the foundation of a new field of atomic physics: atom optics. According to quantum mechanics, at low temperatures, massive particles behave similarly to the light waves in optics. The quantum properties of matter waves became well accessible, after the ultralow temperatures were reached and the first Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) was obtained in 1995. Thus, the role of light and matter in quantum atom optics and quantum optics is totally reversed. However, at present, the role of light in quantum atom optics is essentially reduced to a classical auxiliary tool. One can create and manipulate intriguing atomic states using the forces and potentials produced by the classical light waves. For example, the classical light beams are used to form beam splitters, mirrors, cavities and other devices known in optics, but now they are applied for matter waves. The general goal of this project is to close the gap between quantum optics and quantum atom optics by merging them. The project will address the phenomena, where the quantum natures of both light and ultracold gases are equally important. Thus, quantum optics with quantum gases will be considered as an ultimate quantum limit of light-matter interaction, which became experimentally feasible only after 2005. At present, there are only three experiments in the world, where the setups of quantum optics and ultracold gases were joined. The development of a general theory is timely for this emerging direction of research.The project will provide cycling of the ideas between different disciplines. During the last decade, the field of quantum gases was strongly influence by the condensed matter models. However, the standard models do not consider the quantization of light (i.e. of optical potentials). So, the novel theoretical models and approaches have to be developed in the framework of this project. Quantum optics with quantum gases will enable the unprecedented control of light and matter. It will find applications in the following areas. (I) Novel non-destructive detectors of atomic states using light scattering (currently unavailable). (II) Quantum information processing: novel protocols will be developed using the multipartite entangled states naturally appearing at this level of interaction (entangled atomic states may be nonlocally prepared by the light detection, which is a fascinating prediction of quantum mechanics). (III) Quantum interferometry and metrology: the entangled states of massive particles is a resource to approach the ultimate Heisenberg limit, which can be used in the gravitational wave detectors and novel quantum nanolithography. (IV) The general approaches can be applied to other fields as well: molecular physics (quantum molecular gases); semiconductor nanosystems (BEC of exciton-polaritons); superconductor systems (circuit cavity quantum electrodynamics).
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.ox.ac.uk |