Quantenphänomene in Hybridsystemen: Schnittstellen zwischen maßgeschneiderten Materialien und Nanostrukturen mit atomaren Systemen

• Antragsteller: Professor Dr. Ron Folman; Professor Dr. Ferdinand Schmidt-Kaler
• Fachliche Zuordnung: Optik, Quantenoptik und Physik der Atome, Moleküle und Plasmen
• Förderung: Förderung von 2015 bis 2021
• Projektkennung: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Projektnummer 264554749

In the last decade the field of quantum optics achieved impressive control over the multi-particle quantum state of atomic systems such as cold ions, cold atoms and even room temperature nitrogen vacancy centers (NVs) - behaving as atom-like systems in a diamond crystal. In parallel, solid state systems based on electrons e.g. superconducting systems and quantum dots, have reached such a level of control and engineered interactions that they are rivaling atomic systems. For fundamental science and 21st century technological applications we aim for hybridization, where atomic and solid state systems are coupled. Atom Chips are devices in which electron-based circuits on chip surfaces are coupled to isolated atomic systems positioned above. Such coupling has already given rise to a huge influx of valuable insight both on the atomic system and on the electron system. We plan advancing into new regimes where atom-electron coupling is initiated in novel kinds of interfaces leading to new insight on each of the systems and finally to a coherent (quantum) coupling between them - in situations where the electron quantum degrees of freedom are also under control. A "regular" surface of interest may include "anti-noise" materials and geometries, engineered van der Waals surfaces, plasmonic guides, as well as MW resonators and wave guides, while a "quantum surface" may include sub shot-noise currents, persistent currents, superconductor (SC) vortices, a flux gate, a single electron spin, or a current made of few electrons. Experiments will be designed and interpreted by the detailed theoretical contributions described in the proposal. We will utilize Atom Chips in three configurations defined by the choice of the sensor system: One of them consists of cold single ions, ion crystals or ions ejected from a trap and in free-flight, the second an ensemble of cold atoms and the third single or ensembles of NVs. Each system has its own advantages. The cold ions have long coherence times and single particles can be easily observed and manipulated. Ions provide very long trapping times in deep potentials. The cold atoms may be brought much closer to the surface - even in a Bose-Einstein condensed state. The NVs may be positioned still much closer, at distances of several nano-meters from a surface. Also ejected ions in free-flight may approach a surface at the nm scale. Thus, the full range from tens of microns down to sub-microns and nano-meters is covered. It is expected that eventually each of the three configurations will prove advantageous for specific experimental regimes (both for fundamental insight and technology) and that together they will be able to present a comprehensive picture of the underlying physics and potential involved in the atom-electron coupling.

• DFG-Verfahren: Deutsch-Israelische-Projektkooperationen
• Teilprojekt zu: 18. Runde der Deutsch-Israelischen Projektkooperation (2015-2019)
• Internationaler Bezug: Israel
• Großgeräte: Cryo Control system, Spectrum analyzer, Cryostat ; Laser system ; Surface analysis, Laser wavelength, components divers