Key Objectives of Quantum Matter Researchers

Researchers at UC Santa Barbara are developing chip-based systems for cold atom quantum experiments, aiming to transition these highly sensitive technologies from large-scale laboratory setups to compact, accessible devices. This breakthrough could revolutionize fields such as precision sensing, timekeeping, quantum computing, and fundamental physics research. Cold atoms—atoms cooled to temperatures below 1 millikelvin—exhibit unique quantum behaviors, making them ideal for detecting faint electromagnetic signals, improving navigation systems, and serving as qubits for quantum computing. However, most current experiments require bulky, delicate optical setups to confine and manipulate these atoms, limiting practical applications outside specialized research environments. In an article featured on the cover of Optica Quantum, electrical and computer engineering professor Daniel Blumenthal and his team—including graduate researcher Andrei Isichenko and postdoctoral researcher Nitesh Chauhan—outline recent advances in miniaturizing cold atom systems. Their work focuses on integrating the technology into chip-based platforms that could fit in the palm of a hand, bringing quantum applications closer to real-world deployment. This shift toward scalable, portable cold atom technology represents a tipping point in quantum research. By making these systems more compact and accessible, researchers hope to accelerate the adoption of quantum-enhanced devices for navigation, secure communications, and advanced computing, marking a major step forward in quantum science and engineering.

Physicists from the Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) have been conducting research on the matter constituting the atomic nucleus utilizing the world's three most powerful particle accelerators. Their focus has been on mapping the "primordial soup" that filled the universe in the first millionth of a second following its inception. Intriguingly, their measurements showed that the movement of observed particles bears resemblance to the search for prey of marine predators, the patterns of climate change, and the fluctuations of stock market. In the immediate aftermath of the Big Bang, temperatures were so extreme that atomic nuclei could not exists, nor could nucleons, their building blocks. Hence, in this first instance the universe was filled with a "primordial soup" of quarks and gluons. As the universe cooled, this medium underwent a "freeze-out," leading to the formation of particles we know today, such as protons and neutrons. This phenomenon is replicated on a much smaller scale in particle accelerator experiments, where collisions between two nuclei create tiny droplets of quark matter. These droplets eventually then transition into the ordinary matter through freeze-out, a transformation known to researchers conducting these experiments. However, the properties of quark matter vary due to differences in pressure and temperature that result from the collision energy in particle accelerators. This variation necessitates measurements to "scan" matter in particle accelerators of different energies, the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) in the U.S., or the Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) and the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Switzerland. “This aspect is so crucial that new accelerators are being constructed all over the world, for example in Germany or Japan, specifically for such experiments. Perhaps the most significant question is how the transition between phases occurs: a critical point may emerge on the phase map," explains Máté Csanád, professor of physics at the Department of Atomic Physics, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE). The long-term goal of the research is to deepen our understanding of the strong interaction that governs the interactions in quark matter and in atomic nuclei. Our current level of knowledge in this area can be likened to humanity's grasp of electricity during the eras of Volta, Maxwell or Faraday. Full Article: https://lnkd.in/g7PxFt-K #ParticleAccelerators #QuarkMatter #AtomicNuclei Image: A montage of reconstructed tracks from actual collision events and photographs of the respective detectors, at the Brookhaven National Laboratory and at CERN. Montage made by Máté Csanád / Eötvös Loránd University. Original photos for the montage: STAR és PHENIX: Brookhaven National Laboratory and CMS és NA61. (CERN)

QUASI-PHASE-MATCHED CONVERSION IN PERIODICALLY POLED LAYERED SEMICONDUCTORS Nonlinear optics is fundamental to classical and quantum light generation. Development of periodic poling significantly advanced nonlinear optics and its commercial use by facilitating efficient quasi-phase-matching in materials like lithium niobate. The achieving of practical frequency conversion efficiencies is open to relatively large crystal sizes, which hinders further technological advancement and integration into smaller devices. Traditional methods of generating entangled photons typically involved bulky crystals and high energy inputs. The development of smaller, more efficient entangled photon sources has long been a key objective for researchers in quantum device engineering and chased the promise of quantum entanglement in a device for years. This concept of quantum entanglement, referred as a "spooky action at a distance," describes a phenomenon where two particles become interconnected in such a way that their fates are intertwined. Measuring a property of one particle instantaneously determines the corresponding property of the other, regardless of the distance separating them. The Nature Photonics paper by P. James Schuck, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Columbia University, facilitated a new approach to address these challenges. Generating entangled photons using traditional methods typically required large crystals and significant energy consumption. Quantum device engineers believed that more compact and less energy-intensive approach is crucial for realizing quantum computing. However, significant design challenges hindered progress, with experts finding it difficult to miniaturize the necessary components sufficiently for integration onto a chip. This research demonstrates creation of a periodically poled van der Waals semiconductor (3R-MoS2). Leveraging its strong nonlinear properties, the researchers achieved a macroscopic frequency conversion efficiency of 0.03% at telecom wavelengths using a 3.4 μm sample. This is 10 to 100 times thinner than existing systems with comparable performance. Intrinsic cavity effects further enhanced the thickness-dependent quasi-phase-matched second harmonic signal by 50% beyond expected quadratic increase, supporting broadband generation of photon pairs at telecom wavelengths via quasi-phase-matched spontaneous parametric down-conversion. This work establishes a new field of phase-matched nonlinear optics using microscopic van der Waals crystals, paving the way for ultra-compact technologies, on-chip entangled photon-pair sources for integrated quantum circuitry and sensing applications. Integrating quantum light sources onto silicon chips, like Google's Willow quantum processor, represents a significant step in foundation for scalable, highly efficient on-chip integrable devices such as tunable microscopic entangled-photon-pair generators. #https://lnkd.in/e2vbWMFJ

Sharing some research opportunities: Purdue-Technion Quantum Postdoctoral Fellowship: The Purdue-Technion Quantum Postdoctoral Fellowship seeks top applicants to conduct quantum-focused, fundamental research projects under joint mentorship from principal investigators (PIs) from Purdue University and the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. Awardees will split their time equally at each institution. Key topics of interest in Quantum Science and Engineering include but are not limited to: 1. Quantum metrology: study of making high-resolution and highly sensitive measurements of physical parameters using quantum theory to describe the physical systems, particularly exploiting quantum entanglement and quantum squeezing. 2. Quantum materials: materials that present strong electronic correlations (or some type of electronic order) such as superconducting or magnetic orders, or whose electronic properties are linked to non-generic quantum effects – topological insulators, Dirac electron systems; systems whose collective properties are governed by genuinely quantum behavior, such as ultra-cold atoms, cold excitons, polaritons. 3. Quantum devices: solid-state systems for advancing quantum computation, communication, and sensing. 4. Quantum simulations/cold atom research: study of a quantum system in a programmable fashion to solve specific physics problems; experimental platforms may include systems of ultracold quantum gases, polar molecules, trapped ions, photonic systems, quantum dots, and superconducting circuits. 5. Quantum Information: quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum information processing. See more at: https://lnkd.in/g4PxRxAc #Postdoc #QuantumScience #ResearchOpportunity

🔬 A Roadmap to 2D van der Waals Magnets Since the first isolation of atomically thin magnetic crystals in 2016, 2D magnetic materials have emerged as one of the most dynamic areas in quantum materials research. These ultrathin van der Waals systems hold immense potential for powering the next generation of low-power electronics, spintronic technologies, and quantum devices. A newly published Roadmap provides a comprehensive overview of the field’s current landscape—highlighting key scientific challenges and outlining a path toward real-world applications. The Roadmap identifies four core challenges that must be addressed: 1️⃣ Limited fundamental understanding of 2D quantum magnetic properties 2️⃣ Lack of scalable synthesis methods 3️⃣ Need for advanced characterization techniques 4️⃣ Integration into devices and novel architectures Developed by leading experts and inspired by a Lorentz Center workshop, this Roadmap is both a guide for new researchers and a strategic resource for shaping the future of 2D quantum magnetism. 🔗https://lnkd.in/dh7d4BAj #advancedmaterials Faculty of Science and Engineering - University of Groningen