JILA Thesis Defense

In this work, we develop theoretical tools to explore
quantum correlations within the AdS/CFT framework. We examine the
holographic realization of optimized correlation measures in two-dimensional
thermal states corresponding to spacetimes with black hole horizons, enhancing
our understanding of how geometry encodes entanglement in AdS/CFT. We
further introduce cutoff-independent regularization techniques to compute these
entropies - addressing divergences due to infinite volume near the AdS

In this talk, I will describe my work on

Atom interferometers are exquisite sensors that have been used to perform inertial measurements with ever increasing precision. However, many worthy scientific endeavors present dynamically harsh environments and strict SWaP requirements that are challenging to accommodate for conventional atom interferometers. In this defense, I present the novel approach of Bloch-band interferometry, which confines Bose-condensed atoms to a multidimensional optical lattice for the entire interferometer sequence.

Abstract: Models of rotating black holes generally possess not only an event horizon, which marks the point of no return, but also an inner horizon, beyond which lies an observable singularity and potentially a wormhole to a new universe. However, if any matter or radiation falls into the black hole, these sources of accretion will trigger an instability that may destroy the inner horizon and anything beyond.

Abstract: Physics education research in undergraduate laboratory courses is vital to ensure that these courses achieve their learning goals, such as developing hands-on technical skills and mastering concepts and practices related to measurement uncertainty. In this talk, I cover my role in developing a research-based assessment instrument, the Survey of Physics Reasoning on Uncertainty Concepts in Experiments (SPRUCE).

The next generation of logic devices may rely on very fast switching of magnetic states. In this thesis, I utilize ultrafast pulsed lasers to measure and manipulate magnetic states on their fundamental timescales: ranging from few-femtoseconds spin-transfers in Heusler alloys to magnetization reorientations in ferrimagnets which take tens of picoseconds. I utilize high harmonic generation to produce a tabletop extreme ultraviolet probe for resonant measurements.

Large ensembles of laser-cooled atoms interacting via photon-mediated interactions are powerful platforms for quantum simulation and sensing. In this work, I will present a cavity-QED system with matter waves coupled to a high-finesse cavity. In this system, we successfully generated entanglement between atomic momentum states and realized the first entangled matter-wave interferometer.

Abstract: