Optical Lattice Clocks
Physics
From Timekeepers to Spies of the Quantum Realm
Friday, March 8, 2024 4-5 p.m.
Dr. Ana Marie Rey, University of Colorado professor of physics and fellow of the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics (JILA)
Harnessing the behavior of complex systems is at the heart of quantum technologies. Precisely engineered ultracold gases are emerging as a powerful tool for this task. In this talk I will explain how ultracold strontium atoms trapped by light can be used to create optical lattice clocks—the most precise timekeepers ever imagined. I am going to explain why these clocks are not only fascinating, but of crucial importance since they can help us to answer cutting-edge questions about complex many-body phenomena and magnetism, to unravel big mysteries of our universe and to build the next generation of quantum technologies.