High-Performance Quantum Gas Apparatus for Creating Topological States of Matter using p-Wave Pairin
Abstract
Project Abstract Publically Releasable High-Performance Quantum Gas Apparatus for Creating Topological States of Matter using p-Wav,e Pairing of Bosons and Fermions ONR Program Officer: Dr. Roberto Diener, Code 312 We propose to assemble a state-of-the-art appara,tus for experiments on quantum gases of lithium atoms. Quantum gases are made by cooling atoms to ultra-low temperatures where they, exhibit manifestly quantum behavior, a consequence of the enhancement of both their wave-like traits and whether the atoms are comp,osite bosons or fermions. By imposing confining potentials of various shape, size, and periodicity, the atoms can realize new state,s of matter, such as unusual superfluids, materials with striking topological structure, and zero temperature quantum phase transiti,ons. Atomic quantum gases have emerged as a powerful platform for quantum simulation to realize models of novel materials, and more, importantl,atom for quantum simulation. It has isotopes that are fermions, 6Li, and bosons, 7Li. Furthermore, the interactions between atoms,may be varied with a Feshbach resonance, by magnetically tuning to a collisional resonance. The apparatus that we propose here offe,rs significant improvement over our previous lithium apparatus. First, the new apparatus is all optical, relying on optical cooling, methods using the 2S-3P narrow linewidth transition at 323 nm. This eliminates the need for sympathetic cooling of the fermions by, Instead, atoms are loaded directly into an infra-red (IR) optical trap, which is possible because the 323 nm transition frequency,is not affected by the optical trap at 1070 nm, the magic wavelength. Reducing the complexity will minimize downtime, and the enh,anced design will increase the cycle time by a factor of 10, and increase the number of atoms per cycle ten-fold. Secondly, the prop,osed apparatus is designed for large numerical aperture (NA) optical access by using large, and re-entrant vacuum viewports. High N,A will enable small features to be written onto the optical potential using a spatial light modulator to control green anti-trapping, laser beams. We expect to create flat-bottomed box potentials by compensating for the inhomogeneous density profiles induced bco,nfinement beams. We also anticipate imposing reservoirs in the distribution that act as entropy sinks. Our primary goals for this, apparatus are to explore p-wave pairing in both the fermionic and bosonic isotopes. Pairing underlies all theories of superconduct,ivity and superfluidity. In the case of electrons there is of yet no compelling evidence of p-wave superconductivity. p-wave super,fluids are inherently topological: as the p-wave attraction between particles is increased, the gas encounters a T=0 quantum phase,transition between an atomic condensate and a molecular one, quite unlike the BEC-BCS crossover for s-wave pairing. p-wave pairing,in one-dimensional wires is particularly interesting as this configuration is predicted to harbor exotic fractionally charged Majora,na fermions at each end. We also intend to explore a p-wave Feshbach resonance in bosons in this new apparatus, in order to create, a p-wave superfluid. There are no experiments that have produced p-wave pairing in bosons, despite the inherent interest in an exp,ected quantum phase transition as a function of interaction. Although the Feshbach resonance is quite narrow, the scattering amplit,pment will unlock new capabilities in our quantum gas experiments. Students working on these projects will benefit from state-of-th,e-art laser and vacuum systems.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2022
- Source ID
- N000142212275
Entities
People
- Randall G. Hulet
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- Rice University
- United States Navy