Atoms Dressed with Light Show New Interactions

Using lasers to manipulate ultracold atoms' internal states, NIST researchers can induce complicated interactions otherwise difficult or impossible to study. By applying these same techniques to an ultracold gas of fermions, an antisocial type of particle, researchers may be able to observe yet-to-be-discovered phenomena important to designing materials with specific magnetic or superconducting properties necessary for topological quantum computation.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• physics
• quantum computers
• superconductivity
• lasers
• bosons
• fermions
• Light

[usnistgov]

@mhenriday

Thank you for the advice. Clear communication of our work is important to us. We apologize if the captions were unclear, and we will strive to do a better job in the future.

[mhenriday]

Thanks, usnistgov, for pointing out that the copy blocks shown prior to the respective simulations do, in fact, distinguish between these types of scattering ! May I suggest, however, that for the convenience of unobservant readers like myself, it might be a good idea to also add a caption - i e, a brief text of the type «Simulation with undressed bosons» or «Simulation with dressed fermions» - in a text row in the respective clips below the simulations themselves ?...

Henri

[usnistgov]

@mhenriday

The first clip shows undressed bosons. The second clip shows dressed bosons. The third clip shows a simulation of undressed fermions; the fourth a simulation of dressed fermions. (The captions explain this already.)

[mhenriday]

Would it not have been an idea to show animations comparing laser-dressed and non-laser-dressed clouds of atoms at these ultra-low temperatures, to explain the different types of scattering observed ?...

Henri

[usnistgov]

Thanks for checking out our videos. Please add your comments and let us know what you think. We will be reviewing and then posting comments as long as they are on topic, respectful and do not promote specific products or services.