Ultracold molecule assembly with photonic crystals
Abstract
Ultracold Molecule Assembly with Photonic CrystalsPI: Asst. Prof. Chen-Lung Hung (Purdue University)Realizing quantum control on rich internal states of ultracold molecules can lead to tremendousapplications ranging from quantum computations, quantum many-body physics, quantumchemistry, metrology, and fundamental physics. The proposed research aims at developing acompact experimental package for continuous production, localization, detection, and coherentmanipulation of ultracold (polar) molecules. It explores molecule assembly and chemistry ofultracold atoms (temperature < 1~K) in a tailored nanophotonic environment. In particular, wepropose to develop a new experimental platform for deterministic as well as continuousphotoassociation of ultracold homonuclear and heteronuclear molecules into their stable (ormetastable) rotational and vibrational ground states. Ultracold atoms will be loaded into thevacuum space near a nanophotonic structure, a photonic crystal waveguide, designed toselectively enhance the photonic density of states around an optical resonance of a selectedmolecular ground state. We propose to use a single-step photoassociation process to convert freeatom pairs directly into the deeply-bound molecular ro-vibronic ground state with >99%conversion efficiency and >1MHz production rate. These ground state molecules will remaintrapped along the nanophotonic waveguide, which can then serve as an efficient light-moleculeinterface to coherently address the internal levels of trapped molecules and perform statesensitive,non-destructive molecule detection for future quantum applications.To realize the proposed research, we aim at synthesizing and performing quantum control onhomonuclear Rb2 molecules in the metastable triplet ground state. We will develop statesensitivesingle molecule detection and control scheme to probe the molecule production as wellas to perform coherent rotational state transfer and monitor molecular dynamics. This laysimportant technological foundation towards our goal of synthesizing heteronuclear RbCs dipolarmolecules for further studies of ultracold chemistry and few/many-body physics with dipolarinteractions.The research will develop the first chip-scale nanophotonic platform for deterministic moleculeproduction, quantum control, and quantum state detection for ultracold chemistry, quantumcommunication, and quantum few/many-body physics for ultracold polar molecules. Theproposed project combines forefronts of ultracold chemistry, atom cooling and trappingtechnique, and nanophotonic engineering to create such new quantum technology.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 03, 2017
- Source ID
- N000141712289
Entities
People
- Chen-Lung Hung
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Virginia