Quantum measurements, quantum nonlinear optics, & quantum foundations using entangled photons and ultracold & Rydberg atoms

量子测量、量子非线性光学、

• 批准号: RGPIN-2020-05767
• 负责人: Steinberg, Aephraim
• 金额: $ 6.92万
• 依托单位: University of Toronto
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=762716
• 关键词: Quantum; measurements; quantum; nonlinear; optics

My research group uses laser-cooled atoms and quantum-correlated photons to study quantum phenomena, specifically in relation to the challenges and questions raised by the exciting new applications of quantum technologies (particularly in information processing and precision measurement), and to studying foundational issues in quantum mechanics. Over the past 25 years, experimental capabilities for control of quantum systems have exploded, enabling both deeper studies of the fundamental nature of reality, and dramatic applications (witness google's recent claim of a quantum computer capable of outperforming any classical competitor). Canada in particular has great strengths in these areas, and a growing culture of innovation and startups. Over the next five years, we propose principally to (1) address long-standing controversies about how much quantum mechanics allows one to say about the past behaviour of a particle (particularly the "tunneling time," which has been debated since the 1930s but which our novel experimental techniques now enable us to measure directly), using atoms we have cooled to below one billionth of a degree above absolute zero; (2) continue to advance the newly created field of "quantum nonlinear optics," in which we and others have been able to engineer such strong interactions between individual photons that previously out-of-reach capabilities such as optical quantum logic gates and new sources of strongly entangled "photon gases" are at hand; (3) and apply insights from quantum mechanics to try to improve both imaging systems such as microscopes and telescopes and other important sensors, for example for magnetometry and timekeeping. We will thus simultaneously push the boundaries of what is possible in quantum experiments and deepen our understanding of the quantum world, helping to enable the next generations of research and of technological applications. Having developed a system for producing some of the coldest atoms in the universe, and the first experiment to measure the effect a single photon can write on a second light beam, we are well positioned to make dramatic contributions on these exciting challenges.

我的研究小组使用激光冷却原子和量子相关光子来研究量子现象，特别是与量子技术令人兴奋的新应用（特别是在信息处理和精密测量方面）所带来的挑战和问题有关，并研究基础问题在量子力学中。在过去的 25 年里，控制量子系统的实验能力呈爆炸性增长，使得人们能够对现实的基本性质进行更深入的研究，并实现戏剧性的应用（谷歌最近声称量子计算机能够超越任何经典竞争对手）。加拿大在这些领域尤其具有强大的优势，并且不断发展创新和创业文化。在接下来的五年里，我们主要建议 (1) 解决长期存在的争议，即量子力学在多大程度上允许人们描述粒子过去的行为（特别是“隧道时间”，自 20 世纪 30 年代以来一直在争论，但我们的新颖实验技术现在使我们能够直接测量），使用我们已经冷却到绝对零以上十亿分之一度以下的原子； (2) 继续推进新创建的“量子非线性光学”领域，在这个领域，我们和其他人已经能够设计出单个光子之间如此强大的相互作用，这是以前无法实现的能力，例如光学量子逻辑门和新光源强纠缠的“光子气体”即将到来； (3) 并应用量子力学的见解来尝试改进显微镜和望远镜等成像系统以及其他重要传感器，例如磁力测量和计时。因此，我们将同时突破量子实验的可能性界限，加深我们对量子世界的理解，帮助实现下一代研究和技术应用。我们开发了一种用于产生宇宙中一些最冷原子的系统，并且首次进行了测量单个光子在第二束光束上写入效果的实验，我们已经做好了充分准备，可以为这些令人兴奋的挑战做出巨大贡献。