Associate Professor Phil Richerme uses cold atoms to perform experiments in quantum information, quantum simulation, and quantum computing. Ions can be strongly confined using laboratory electric fields, and can be extraordinarily well-isolated from their surrounding environments. Lattices of trapped ions can be programmed to emulate the quantum properties of strongly-correlated materials, which are traditionally difficult to understand using analytic or numeric techniques. In addition, these ions can be made to act like complex quantum-chemical systems to study fundamental problems in chemical catalysis.

Assistant Professor Debayan Mitra's research is focused on using AMO physics tools and techniques to study a variety of quantum phenomena that occur in nature. For example, using ultracold atoms and molecules as proxies for electrons in a solid allows us to build platforms for quantum simulation of the Hubbard, Heisenberg and Ising spin models. They can be employed to shed light on various emergent many-body phenomena in nature such as high Tc superconductivity. On the other hand, molecular systems can serve as very precise test-beds for physics beyond the Standard model. For example, cold polyatomic molecules containing high Z atoms can be leveraged to study parity violation and chirality.

Associate Professor Chen-Ting Liao's research focuses on experimental quantum sciences and the technology of light (from infrared to x-rays) for probing materials. Liao Lab's new research projects are related to nascent light source developments to enhance sensing and metrology, and to unveil new light-matter interactions. These projects lie at the intersections of quantum optics, spatiotemporal structured light fields, x-ray and extreme UV (EUV) optics, imaging science, and strong-field and ultrafast sciences. To learn more, please visit: Liao Lab's website.