Faculty in the department are working on various aspects of quantum science, such as fundamental research on the control of atomic quantum states, the theoretical investigation of exotic quantum phases, and in the investigation of rare earth atoms or point defects in semiconductors and insulators.
Systems of specially prepared ultracold atoms are used to study quantum many-body physics and to investigate the transport properties of atomic Fermi gases and obtain experimental tests of many-body theories.
Computational analysis and quantum-field theory are used to predict the properties of the next generation of quantum materials and to explore and understand strongly coupled quantum phases, such as magnetism, superconductivity, non-Fermi liquids, and the non-trivial geometric structures developed by quantum-mechanical wavefunctions in condensed-matter systems that are related to the topological classification of quantum crystals.
On the photonics side, various kinds of investigations are ongoing where light, lasers, and short pulses are used to investigate new effects and develop new material systems with unique properties. This ranges from the study of entangled spin states in organic semiconductors, the investigation of the structure of defects and impurities in semiconductors and transparent conducting oxides, the development of rare-earth doping towards a new kind of light-emitting diodes, the analysis of point-defects in wide bandgap semiconductors and insulators, to the creation of new materials for data processing, electrooptic conversion, and optoelectronics in integrated photonics platforms.
