Laser Cooling and Trapping Group

News and Updates

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

A New Playbook for Interference

December 17, 2019

Particles can sometimes act like waves, and photons (particles of light) are no exception. Just as waves create an interference pattern, like ripples on a pond

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 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

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

Negative quasiprobabilities enhance phase estimation in quantum-optics experiment

March 1, 2022

Author(s)

Noah Lupu-Gladstein, Y. Batuhan Yilmaz, David Arvidsson-Shukur, Aharon Brodutch, Arthur Pang, Aephraim Steinberg, Nicole Halpern

Operator noncommutation, a hallmark of quantum theory, limits measurement precision, according to uncertainty principles. Wielded correctly, though

Erratum: Collisions of room temperature helium with ultra-cold lithium and the van-der-Waals bound state of HeLi [Phys. Rev. A 101, 012702 (2020)]

February 28, 2022

Author(s)

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

We have found an error in the computation of the thermally-averaged total elastic rate coefficient for the collision of a room-temperature helium atom with an

Experimental observation of thermalisation with noncommuting charges

February 9, 2022

Author(s)

Florian Kranzl, Aleksander Lasek, Manoj Joshi, Amir Kalev, Rainer Blatt, Christian Roos, Nicole Halpern

Quantum simulators have recently enabled experimental observations of quantum many-body systems' internal thermalisation. Often, the global energy and particle

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

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

A New Playbook for Interference

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 Nonlinear Optics for Metrology and Networking

Spinor Condensates and Ultracold Collisions

Publications

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

Negative quasiprobabilities enhance phase estimation in quantum-optics experiment

Erratum: Collisions of room temperature helium with ultra-cold lithium and the van-der-Waals bound state of HeLi [Phys. Rev. A 101, 012702 (2020)]

Experimental observation of thermalisation with noncommuting charges

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

Group Leader