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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. Here we report a miniaturized dual-species quantum gas experiment setup for creating ultracold fermionic 6Li–87Rb molecules as an ideal starting point for our next-generation ultracold molecules experiments. Our compact vacuum setup, with dimensions of 55 × 65 × 70 cm3, significantly lowers the complexity and shortens the construction time. We combined a short-distance Zeeman slower with a 2-dimensional magneto-optical trap for lithium-6 atoms, boosting the loading rate of trapped lithium gas to as high as 7 × 109 atoms/s at a moderate oven temperature of 370 ◦C, which is a 44-fold increase compared to plain loading without Zeeman slowing. Meanwhile, the flux of rubidium-87 atoms also reaches a high value of 2.2 × 109 atoms/s. In the end, I will show our recent progress on building the STIRAP laser system for creating the ground-state 6Li87Rb molecules. Our work lays a solid foundation for the rapid production of a double-degenerate Li-Rb atomic mixture and offers a scalable and efficient platform for producing ultracold molecules, paving the way for our future exploration of dipolar BEC-BCS crossover and p−wave superfluidity in two dimensions.

Abstract: The upcoming Libera mission, NASA’s first Earth Venture Continuity selection, will provide seamless continuity to current broadband radiance measurements obtained by the Clouds and Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) project since March 2000. Leveraging advanced detector technologies, Libera will measure the broadband total, longwave, and shortwave radiances akin to CERES and carry a fourth radiometer to measure shortwave near-infrared radiances to advance our understanding of processes relevant to shortwave absorption by the climate system, radiative feedbacks, and Earth’s albedo variability with added insight into hemispheric albedo symmetry. We use global model simulations and radiative transfer calculations to demonstrate applications of the added spectral knowledge in climate science. Although Libera’s absolute accuracy is unprecedented, closing Earth’s energy budget may still be a challenge and requires complementary methodologies. We will therefore discuss current and future avenues to measure Earth’s Energy Imbalance (EEI) indirectly and directly from space. Direct measurements are potentially feasible through sensing radiation pressure-induced accelerations acting on near-spherical spacecrafts, which under optimal conditions, are directly proportional to the net radiative flux experienced at the satellite’s location. This approach has been considered in the past, and the mission requirements to achieve sufficient measurement accuracy are currently under investigation. We will also discuss the critical need for maintaining Radiation Budget measurements, especially in the context of climate modeling, and the design and vision of a future constellation that would satisfy multiple challenges our community is facing related to improving our knowledge of EEI magnitude and change, and the spectral dimension of Earth’s energy budget.

Abstract forthcoming

Symposium Highlights

Invited Speakers: Talks by prominent scientists introduced by alumni from Carl's research group, reflecting on his profound impact on multiple fields.

Poster Presentations: A showcase of recent advancements in areas shaped by "The JILA Way," emphasizing the collaborative and innovative spirit Carl championed.

Networking:  There will be ample time set aside to socialize, share memories and most importantly, discuss the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of chemical physics in modern molecular science.

Learn more about the symposium’s program and special events and register (registration link will open in a new tab) to take this journey with us.

Symposium Highlights

Invited Speakers: Talks by prominent scientists introduced by alumni from Carl's research group, reflecting on his profound impact on multiple fields.

Poster Presentations: A showcase of recent advancements in areas shaped by "The JILA Way," emphasizing the collaborative and innovative spirit Carl championed.

Networking:  There will be ample time set aside to socialize, share memories and most importantly, discuss the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of chemical physics in modern molecular science.

Learn more about the symposium’s program and special events and register (registration link will open in a new tab) to take this journey with us.

Abstract:  Black holes are often portrayed as cosmic vacuum cleaners that swallow everything, even light. In reality, they are far richer and more revealing: each black hole is a natural laboratory where the two great pillars of modern physics — Einstein’s general relativity and quantum mechanics — meet head-on. In this talk, we will venture from the known, the black holes that we can observe in our sky, into the unknown, where we begin to understand how black holes obey the rules of quantum mechanics. No math background is needed — just curiosity about how the darkest objects in the cosmos shed light on some of the deepest questions in physics.

About the speaker: Luca Iliesiu received his BA in Physics from Princeton University in 2015. He remained there for his PhD, which he received in 2020. He was then appointed as a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University, where he was part of the Simons Ultra Quantum Matter Collaboration, before becoming faculty at Berkeley in 2024. Iliesiu has a broad set of interests in quantum field theory, quantum gravity, and their relation to particle and condensed matter physics.  On the gravity side, he seeks to understand how gravitational objects, such as black holes, obey the rules of quantum mechanics. On the quantum field theory side, he is interested in understanding the space of such theories using analytic and numerical constraints. Recent research highlights include resolving the longstanding problem of the breakdown of thermodynamics for low-temperature black holes, recovering the integer degeneracy of supersymmetric black hole microstates by solely using the gravitational path integral, or understanding how global symmetries are violated in quantum gravity due to non-perturbative effects.