Principal Investigator: Florian Schreck (f.schreck@uva.nl)
The University of Amsterdam (UvA) is a leading research-based university in The Netherlands. In 2021 it ranked 55th in the QS Rankings and 62nd in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Prof. Florian Schreck heads the Quantum Gases & Quantum Information group at the Institute of Physics, where this research will be conducted. This group (5 PIs, 20 PhDs and PDs) investigates novel ultracold systems, such as RbSr molecule or Yb+ – Li mixtures and develops new approaches to use Sr quantum gases for precision measurement. Along the latter research line, Schreck’s group was for the first time able to continuously Bose-Einstein condensate a gas sample, creating the first continuous-wave Bose-Einstein condensate. This work is an important step towards continuous atom lasers and superradiant clocks. Schreck is leading the Quantum Delta NL Ultracold Quantum Sensing Testbed, which explores atom interferometry, atomic clocks and time+frequency distribution together with industry. Schreck is also coordinating the European Quantum Flagship consortium iqClock and the ITN MoSaiQC, which develop an integrated quantum clock and leverages the breakthroughs of the partners to develop superradiant clocks. The UvA group collaborates with the AMO group at the Free University in Amsterdam and the research institutes AMOLF, ARCNL, and CWI. It is also member of the research priority area QuSoft and the Dutch Quantum Software Consortium.
Focus
In this project you will build the first continuous atom laser. An atom laser is a beam of atoms that is described by a coherent matter wave. So far only short atom laser pulses have been created by outcoupling a beam of atoms from a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). The laser stops working when all atoms of the BEC have been outcoupled, requiring the creation of a new BEC for the next atom laser pulse. BEC creation is usually a lengthy process, requiring several cooling stages to be executed one after the other in time. We have built a machine that can execute these stages one after the other in space, enabling us to Bose-Einstein condense continuously. This allows us to create a BEC that lasts as long as we want. It’s the atomic equivalent of an optical laser with perfectly reflective cavity mirrors. Your goal will be to take the next step and outcouple the first continuous atom laser beam from the BEC. Such a beam would be an ideal source for continuous atom interferometry. A second goal of the project is to create interesting driven-dissipative quantum systems and study their properties.