We describe an apparatus that efficiently produces 23Na Bose–Einstein condensates (BECs) in a hybrid trap that combines a quadrupole magnetic field with a far-detuned optical dipole trap. Using a Bayesian optimization framework, we systematically optimize all BEC production parameters in modest-sized …
Efficient production of sodium Bose–Einstein condensates in a hybrid trap Read more »
Instabilities, where small fluctuations seed the formation of large-scale structures, govern dynamics in a variety of fluid systems. The Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI), present from tabletop to astronomical scales, is an iconic example characterized by mushroom-shaped incursions appearing when immiscible fluids …
The Rayleigh-Taylor instability in a binary quantum fluid Read more »
Much of our knowledge of quantum systems is encapsulated in the expectation value of Hermitian operators, experimentally obtained by averaging projective measurements. However, dynamical properties are often described by products of operators evaluated at different times; such observables cannot be …
Dynamical structure factor from weak measurements Read more »
Ultracold atoms are an ideal platform for understanding system-reservoir dynamics of many-body systems. Here, we study quantum back-action in atomic Bose-Einstein condensates, weakly interacting with a far-from resonant, i.e., dispersively interacting, probe laser beam. The light scattered by the atoms …
Weak-measurement-induced heating in Bose-Einstein condensates Read more »
A majority of ultracold atom experiments utilize resonant absorption imaging techniques to obtain the atomic density. To make well-controlled quantitative measurements, the optical intensity of the probe beam must be precisely calibrated in units of the atomic saturation intensity Isat. In …
Direct calibration of laser intensity via Ramsey interferometry for cold atom imaging Read more »
A fundamental tenet of quantum mechanics is that measurements change a system’s wavefunction to that most consistent with the measurement outcome, even if no observer is present. Weak measurements produce only limited information about the system, and as a result …
Quantum back-action limits in dispersively measured Bose-Einstein condensates Read more »
Quantum states can acquire a geometric phase called the Berry phase after adiabatically traversing a closed loop, which depends on the path not the rate of motion. The Berry phase is analogous to the Aharonov–Bohm phase derived from the electromagnetic …
Wilson loop and Wilczek-Zee phase from a non-Abelian gauge field Read more »
On this day, November 2, 2020, Yuchen Yue remotely defended his thesis. Congratulations Yuchen!
Anderson localization is a single-particle localization phenomena in disordered media that is accompanied by an absence of diffusion. Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) describes an interaction between a particle’s spin and its momentum that directly affects its energy dispersion, for example, creating …
Enhanced transport of spin-orbit-coupled Bose gases in disordered potentials Read more »
On this day, April 6, 2020, Francisco Salces-Carcoba has (remotely) become Dr. ! Congratulations Paco!