Past Events

A compact dual-species setup towards ultracold fermionic 6Li87Rb molecules

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Ultracold polar molecules possess inherent strong electric dipole moments and a rich internal structure, making them ideal platforms for implementing novel quantum information schemes, performing precision quantum metrology, and exploring exotic quantum phases such as dipolar BEC-BCS crossover in molecular Fermi gases. However, such experiments require extensive control over two or more species of atoms and their interactions, significantly scaling up the complexity and construction period of the experiment setup.

Graduate Student Seminar Series

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The JILA Association of Graduate Students (JAGS) is excited to announce the next session of the JILA Graduate Student Seminar Series! Please join us next Thursday, June 5th, at 12:30 in the JILA Auditorium, with the talks beginning at 12:45.

The talks for this session are:

Student voice in quantum education - Kristin Oliver, Lewandowski PER Group

Engineering Collective Decoherence-Free Subspaces - Lyryl Vaecairn, Holland Group

Please come by and explore the research going on at JILA! There will also be lunch provided.

Broad-Spectrum Photonics from Visible to Infrared: Multiscale, Multiphysics Challenges and Active Nanophotonic Devices

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In this talk, Shinho Kim will discuss photonic systems studied across distinct spectral regimes, from the visible to the mid-infrared. His work addresses multiscale and multiphysics challenges in light–matter interactions, with each spectral regime involving fundamentally different mechanisms and applications.

Realizing spin squeezing on an optical-clock transition with Rydberg dressing and assembling a Bose-Hubbard superfluid with tweezer-controlled atoms

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Neutral-atom arrays with single-particle detection and control are a powerful tool for quantum science. In this defense, I present results from two projects, both performed with the same tweezer-programmable neutral-strontium-array apparatus. First, we engineer Rydberg interactions to create entangled spin-squeezed states, whose measurement noise can outperform classical limits. In a synchronous optical-frequency comparison between two spin-squeezed ensembles of atoms, we realize a measurement with a stability better than the standard quantum limit.

Exploring out-of-equilibrium quantum simulation in a many-atom strontium cavity QED platform

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Nonequilibrium quantum systems exhibit phenomena not seen in equilibrium but are also less well understood. To study these systems, quantum simulators hold much promise due to their broad tunability and access to measurement observables. In this defense, I present experiments engineering nonequilibrium quantum phases of matter using many strontium atoms in a high-finesse optical cavity. Observations include a first experimental realization of three dynamical phases in quenched BCS superconductors and insights into many-body gap protection in fermionic superfluids.

JILA Posterfest

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Dear JILAns,

With everything happening in the world, building a strong scientific community seems more important than ever. Posterfest is a chance to come together, celebrate JILA’s research, and support each other’s work.

We hope you’ll join us for JILA Posterfest 2025, happening at 3 pm on Thursday, May 1, in the X-Wing.

Quantum Simulation of Gauge Theories

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Abstract:
Gauge theories are ubiquitous in fundamental physics with applications ranging from high-energy particle physics over emergent phenomena in condensed matter to quantum information science and technology. Since several regimes of interest have remained inaccessible to classical simulations, they constitute an ideal target for quantum simulations.

Quantum Signal Processing: Making Schrödinger Cats and Other Exotic States of Microwave PhotonsGauge Theories

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Abstract: The Schrödinger Cat idea was an early thought experiment intended to point out the weirdness of quantum mechanics. It is a paradigmatic example of the quantum principles of superposition and entanglement. With the vast experimental progress in the last two decades, we can now routinely carry out this experiment in the laboratory.

JILA Mentoring in a Research Environment Training (day 2)

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Description: This training was developed by the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) at University of Wisconsin Madison and provides evidence-based, interactive mentor training curricula that engages mentors in collective problem solving and connects them with resources to optimize their mentoring practices. Mentors engage in activities, assignments, case studies, and facilitated discussions to solve mentoring dilemmas and share successful mentorship strategies.

Learning Objectives:

Towards Efficient Programmable Quantum Simulation of Correlated Bosons and Lattice Gauge Theories

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Abstract: It is well-known that interacting fermions are difficult to simulate on quantum computers because of the sign problem. It is less widely appreciated that simulations of models containing bosons can also be difficult—unless the hardware contains native bosonic degrees of freedom. The ability of superconducting quantum processors to control and make quantum non-demolition (QND) measurements of individual microwave photons is a powerful resource for quantum simulation, especially for simulation of condensed matter models and lattice gauge theories containing bosons.

JILA Mentoring in a Research Environment Training (day 1)

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Description: This training was developed by the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) at University of Wisconsin Madison and provides evidence-based, interactive mentor training curricula that engages mentors in collective problem solving and connects them with resources to optimize their mentoring practices. Mentors engage in activities, assignments, case studies, and facilitated discussions to solve mentoring dilemmas and share successful mentorship strategies.

Learning Objectives:

Molecules under new light

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Abstract: 

New tools of light for increasingly refined observation and control of molecules are providing new opportunities to study complex structure and emergent quantum properties, to set new bounds for fundamental symmetry, to probe real-time reaction kinetics, and to apply molecular sensing for medical diagnosis. Meanwhile, quantum gases of molecules constitutes an outstanding experimental platform for precise quantum state engineering and control of inter-molecular interactions, enabling exploration of novel chemical reactions and quantum magnetism.