News
European Network 'Thermodynamics in the quantum regime' Launched
The kick-off of a large-scale European network
for research in 'Thermodynamics in the Quantum Regime' was celebrated
in Brussels on Tues 30 April 2013. The successful proposal for one of the prestigious COST
network grants, funded by the ESF, was led by UCL's researcher Dr Janet Anders.
More...
Published: May 1, 2013 9:58:55 AM
Quantum Magic
In a recent STFC newsletter, UK news from CERN, Dr Stephen Hogan describes how he, and a team of international collaborators are investigating the properties of antimatter. The AEGIS experiment at the Antiproton Decelerator, in CERN has been designed to exploit techniques Stephen developed to accelerate antihydrogen atoms in excited states; to transport them and make beams suitable for measurements of the acceleration of antimatter in the Earth's gravitational field. More...
Published: Feb 14, 2013 12:14:34 PM
Evidence for a T-Shape Break-Up Pattern in the Triple Photoionization of Li
According to Wannier's law, when a single
photon is absorbed with energy just above the fragmentation threshold, the
electrons in a multi-electron atom break-up in the most symmetric way.
More...
Published: Feb 11, 2013 3:47:22 PM
Ultracold Gases
|
Prof Peter Barker Dr Phil Jones |
Prof Tania Monteiro Prof Ferruccio Renzoni |
Dr Thorsten Köhler Dr Gillian Peach |
Our
research programmes in cold atoms and molecules are both theoretical and
experimental and range from developing methods for cooling, trapping to utilising cold atoms for understanding quantum chaos and
statistical physics. We also study ultracold Bose and Fermi gases and their
interactions.
Cooling atoms and molecules: We are exploring
new methods for creating cold atoms and molecules. This includes cavity
cooling, optical Stark deceleration for the creation of slow cold
molecules and sympathetic cooling of molecules with cold atoms . Cold atoms trapped in periodic potentials (optical lattices) can be
used to mimic the random motions of systems in equilibrium with a
thermal bath. Directed (ratchet) motion and a Brownian motor has been
realised using these systems (Barker , Jones, Renzoni).
Quantum dynamics and chaos: We investigate the theory for quantum dynamics of systems subjected to time periodic driving. Quantum chaos using cold atoms is one area of interest: eg, new examples of quantum suppression of chaotic diffusion; new types of quantum chaotic ratchets; the stability of BECs in these regimes. The possibilities for manipulation of phase transitions by cold atoms in optical lattices are also studied (Monteiro, Jones).
Ultracold Bose and Fermi gases: Many-particle descriptions of pairing via Feshbach resonances are studied, as well as the production and probing of exotic few-body molecules, and photoassociation using coherent control. (Kohler).
To learn more about our work please follow the links below:
- Cold molecules and molecular optics (Barker)
- Ultracold atoms laboratory (Renzoni)
- Quantum dynamics and quantum chaos (Monteiro)
- Theoretical studies of ultracold collisions and molecules (Kohler)
- Cold matter and optical trapping group (Barker, Jones, Renzoni)
