Laser Cooling and Trapping Group

News and Updates

Four researchers pose standing in a lab, smiling and wearing safety glasses, surrouded by wires and other electronics.

NIST Demonstrates a New ‘Primary Standard’ for Measuring Ultralow Pressures

August 10, 2023

Chip manufacturing, gravitational wave detectors and quantum computers could all benefit from better ways to measure a vacuum.

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

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

Weak-Measurement-Induced Heating in Bose-Einstein Condensates

June 23, 2023

Author(s)

Emine Altuntas, Ian Spielman

Ultracold atoms are an ideal platform for understanding system-reservoir dynamics of many-body systems. Here, we study quantum back-action in atomic Bose

Direct Calibration of Laser Intensity via Ramsey Interferometry for Cold Atom Imaging

May 11, 2023

Author(s)

Emine Altuntas, Ian Spielman

A majority of ultracold atom experiments utilize resonant absorption imaging techniques to obtain the atomic density. To make well-controlled quantitative

Quantum back-action limits in dispersively measured Bose-Einstein condensates

April 8, 2023

Author(s)

Ian Spielman, Emine Altuntas

A fundamental tenet of quantum mechanics is that measurements change a system's wavefunction to that most consistent with the measurement outcome, even if no

Interference induced anisotropy in a two-dimensional dark state optical lattice

March 27, 2023

Author(s)

Ian Spielman, Gediminas Juzeliūnas, Edvinas Gvozdiovas

We describe a two-dimensional optical lattice for ultracold atoms with spatial structure below the diffraction limit created by a bichromatic optical standing

Awards

2023 ASPIRE Prize U.S. Winner - Nicole Yunger Halpern

Nicole Yunger Halpern is an emerging young leader in the reconciliation and mutual strengthening of the concepts of thermodynamics and

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

Press Coverage

Cold atoms used to create reliable pressure gauge for ultrahigh vacuum

Physics World

September 5, 2023

An effect that normally gets in the way of the magnetic trapping of atoms has been harnessed to create a new method for measuring pressure in ultrahigh vacuum

Scientists Have Developed a New Way to Measure ... Nothing

Popular Mechanics

September 4, 2023

Nothing is truly nothing. A bit paradoxical, sure, but it’s true. Anything that we refer to as “empty,” “devoid,” or “containing nothing” does, in fact, contain

Laser Cooling and Trapping Group

News and Updates

NIST Demonstrates a New ‘Primary Standard’ for Measuring Ultralow Pressures

A Primary Standard for Measuring Vacuum

Updates to Fundamental Constants Reflect Redefinition of International System of Units

Latest Values of Fundamental Constants Published

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

Weak-Measurement-Induced Heating in Bose-Einstein Condensates

Direct Calibration of Laser Intensity via Ramsey Interferometry for Cold Atom Imaging

Quantum back-action limits in dispersively measured Bose-Einstein condensates

Interference induced anisotropy in a two-dimensional dark state optical lattice

Awards

2023 ASPIRE Prize U.S. Winner - Nicole Yunger Halpern

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

Press Coverage

Cold atoms used to create reliable pressure gauge for ultrahigh vacuum

Scientists Have Developed a New Way to Measure ... Nothing

Contacts

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