Laser Cooling and Trapping Group

News and Updates

A Primary Standard for Measuring Vacuum

July 15, 2022

A novel, quantum-based vacuum gauge system invented by researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has passed its first test to be

Updates to Fundamental Constants Reflect Redefinition of International System of Units

December 16, 2021

The CODATA Task Group on Fundamental Constants recently produced its 2018 update of a self-consistent set of internationally recommended values of the basic

Latest Values of Fundamental Constants Published

July 13, 2021

Four scientists from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have reported the latest values for the fundamental constants of nature on June

Bringing Atoms to a Standstill: NIST Miniaturizes Laser Cooling

January 21, 2021

It’s cool to be small. Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have miniaturized the optical components required to cool atoms

Projects by Staff Members

Select one of the Staff Members below to obtain background information regarding their research interests.

Gretchen K. Campbell
Charles W. Clark
Nicole Yunger Halpern
Paul D. Lett
William D. Phillips
James (Trey) Porto
Ian Spielman
Eite Tiesinga

Projects and Programs

Cold-atom-based sensor for measuring pressure in the ultra-high vacuum domain

Ongoing

NIST is building a cold-atom vacuum sensor (CAVS) that will be able to measure pressures in the ultra-high vacuum (UHV) regime corresponding to pressures less

Controlling collisions between laser-cooled atoms using magnetic fields and nano-eV colliders

Ongoing

We investigate collisions of atoms in either micro-Kelvin gasses or in nano-colliders, where two small atomic clouds are made to collide with adjustable energy

Fundamental Constants in Nature

Ongoing

We are involved in efforts to collate data on precision measurements and the theoretical description of these measurements with the aim to improve the values of

Quantum Computation and Simulation with Neutral Atoms

Ongoing

Quantum information processing seeks to use the features of quantum physics to accomplish otherwise intractable computational tasks. The two main thrusts of

Quantum matter from atomic gases

Ongoing

Measurement. Science is rooted in measurement: it is from measurements, as unified by theory, that understanding is born. Our comprehension of the universe is

Quantum Nonlinear Optics for Metrology and Networking

Ongoing

Quantum nonlinear optics provides a means to generate and manipulate light at the quantum level, with applications in enhanced sensing and metrology, and in

Spinor Condensates and Ultracold Collisions

Ongoing

Interactions between cold atoms can provide us with the means to manipulate matter on the smallest scales. Collisions between laser-cooled atoms, in particular

Publications

Dynamical Instability of 3d Stationary and Traveling Planar Dark Solitons

November 9, 2022

Author(s)

Ian Spielman, Amilson R. Fritsch, T. Mithun, Panayotis Kevrekidis

Here we revisit the topic of stationary and propagating solitonic excitations in self-repulsive three-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensates by quantitatively

Dynamically Induced Symmetry Breaking and Out-of-Equilibrium Topology in a 1D Quantum System

September 16, 2022

Author(s)

Ian Spielman, Graham Reid, Alina Pineiro Escalera, Amilson R. Fritsch, Mingwu Lu

Nontrivial topology in lattices is characterized by invariants---such as the Zak phase for one-dimensional (1D) lattices---derived from wave functions covering

Floquet engineering topological Dirac bands

July 22, 2022

Author(s)

Ian Spielman, Mingwu Lu, Amilson R. Fritsch, Graham Reid, Alina Pineiro Escalera

We experimentally realized a time-periodically modulated 1D lattice for ultracold atoms featuring a pair of linear bands, each associated with a Floquet winding

Erratum: Elastic Rate Coefficients of Li + H_2 collisions in the calibration of a Cold Atom Vacuum Standard

March 24, 2022

Author(s)

Constantinos Makrides, Daniel Barker, James A. Fedchak, Julia Scherschligt, Stephen Eckel, Eite Tiesinga

We found an error in our computation of the thermally averaged total rate coefficients for the collision of a room-temperature hydrogen dimer H$_2$ with an

Awards

2020 - Arthur S. Flemming Award---William Phillips, Ian Coddington, Andrew Ludlow

The Arthur S. Flemming Award was established in 1948 to honor outstanding federal employees for unusually meritorious work.

2019/2020 George A. Snow Memorial Award - Gretchen Campbell

For her work on the Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics (CUWiP). About Dr. George A. Snow: Throughout his tenure at the

2020 Arthur S. Flemming Katharine B. Gebbie Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Federal Service – William D. Phillips

In addition to the Arthur S. Flemming awards given annually to midcareer federal employees, William D. Phillips, a physicist in NIST’s

2019 - Presidential Rank Award---Ian Spielman

For his pioneering work and leadership in developing quantum simulation techniques to investigate natural phenomena too complex for traditional mathematical computation.

Laser Cooling and Trapping Group

News and Updates

A Primary Standard for Measuring Vacuum

Updates to Fundamental Constants Reflect Redefinition of International System of Units

Latest Values of Fundamental Constants Published

Bringing Atoms to a Standstill: NIST Miniaturizes Laser Cooling

Projects by Staff Members

Projects and Programs

Cold-atom-based sensor for measuring pressure in the ultra-high vacuum domain

Controlling collisions between laser-cooled atoms using magnetic fields and nano-eV colliders

Fundamental Constants in Nature

Quantum Computation and Simulation with Neutral Atoms

Quantum matter from atomic gases

Quantum Nonlinear Optics for Metrology and Networking

Spinor Condensates and Ultracold Collisions

Publications

Dynamical Instability of 3d Stationary and Traveling Planar Dark Solitons

Dynamically Induced Symmetry Breaking and Out-of-Equilibrium Topology in a 1D Quantum System

Floquet engineering topological Dirac bands

Erratum: Elastic Rate Coefficients of Li + H_2 collisions in the calibration of a Cold Atom Vacuum Standard

Awards

2020 - Arthur S. Flemming Award---William Phillips, Ian Coddington, Andrew Ludlow

2019/2020 George A. Snow Memorial Award - Gretchen Campbell

2020 Arthur S. Flemming Katharine B. Gebbie Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Federal Service – William D. Phillips

2019 - Presidential Rank Award---Ian Spielman

Contacts

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