JILA Thesis Defense

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: 

Abstract: 

 Ultracold dipolar atoms and molecules present a wealth of exciting out-of-equilibrium phenomena. I’ll discuss some of the understanding developed over the past several years, and several useful applications to experiments.

Abstract: High harmonic generation is a unique short wavelength light source with high spatial and temporal coherence, enabling ultrafast pump-probe studies of dynamics in chemical reactions, biological systems, and technologically relevant materials. For soft x-ray generation, this requires ultrafast lasers operating at high pulse energy and high repetition rate in the mid-infrared spectral region, which remain a challenging technology.

Reception in the h-bar following the defense. 

Reception in the h-bar following the defense.

With reception in the h-bar afterwards. 

Abstract: Mechanical resonators based on stressed silicon nitride have both exemplary optical and mechanical properties. Through targeted shaping of the resonator geometry, the dissipative properties of these resonators can be enhanced, yielding micromechanical devices that maintain coherence for up to billions of oscillation periods.