Xiangliang Li, ETHZ
This experimental project will extend the BEC in a single-mode cavity setup with transverse pumping to configurations beyond single-mode . We will explore implementations with externally controlled optical lattices commensurate and incommensurate with the cavity field, or with two cavity modes intersecting at an angle. The detected light fields will give us real-time information on the internal and external atomic dynamics.
Objectives: 1. Preparation of coherent matter inside ultra-high finesse optical cavities for studies of self-organization. 2. Investigation of pattern formation and its dynamics in configurations going beyond the single mode configuration. 3. Advancing the experimental
technologies for self-organization experiments: control of the spin degree of freedom and super-lattice structures. 4. In a creative process driven by the PhD student and including the theory partners UINN and USAAR a detailed proposal will be developed for the best way to implement self-organization in new regimes using different geometries and spin degrees of freedom. 5. Experimental implementation of the novel concepts developed by the student.
Expected Results: 1. Observation of self-organization of coherent matter waves in optical cavities. 2. Experimental measurements of pattern formation and dynamics beyond single mode configuration. 3. Implementation of technological improvements in the experimental set-up 3. Proposal for a novel configuration for self-organization experiments. 4. Experimental observation of the proposed configuration.
Planned secondment(s): 1. UINN 2. USAAR 3. USTRAT 4. Toptica 5. EKUT.