AMO research at UIUC

What is AMO?

Researchers in atomic, molecular, and optical (AMO) physics study a diverse set of problems, ranging from the coldest objects in the universe to quantum entanglement to precision tests of the Standard Model. We also make practical contributions to many areas, including the most precise time and frequency standards and gyroscopes, methods for manipulating small objects such as biological cells or nanoparticles, and techniques for quantum cryptography to enable provably secure communication.

The coldest objects in the universe are atomic Bose-Einstein condensates.

Quantum entaglement of photons can be created and controlled using optical techniques.

Si nanoparticles (circled in red) trapped in gel.

Four trapped Be ions. Ion trap experiments are the most promosing candidate system for quantum computing.

Research Groups:

Professor DeMarco works with ultra-cold atoms. His research focuses on studying the properties of these systems and using them to tackle certain quantum information problems, such as quantum simulation. Click here for a link to his research page, and here to go to his profile.

Professor Kwiat works with photons. His group is a leading player in producing and controlling entangled states of photons, using them to study fundamental prolems in quantum mechanics, and harnessing non-classical light sources for practical applications, such as quantum information (QI) processing. Click here to go to his profile, and here to find out more about QI at UIUC.

Professor Nayfeh works with silicon nanoparticles, which behave in some ways like molecules. Si nanoparticles are beginning to find use in microelectronics, optoelectronics and biomedical applications, and form one of the smallest lasers. Click here for a link to his research page, and here to go to his profile

Professor Lev works with ultracold gases, cavity QED, and atom chips. His research focuses on developing novel laser cooling and trapping techniques to create ultracold samples of dipolar matter, which are then loaded onto micro- and nanofabricated atom chips for quantum information processing. Click here to go to his profile, and here for his research group's website.