The Weld group uses the tools of experimental atomic physics to attack problems relevant to the many-body quantum mechanics of condensed matter. Research interests include experimental ultracold atomic physics, quantum simulation, optical lattices, trapping of alkali and alkaline earth atoms, novel quantum phases, nonequilibrium dynamics, new cooling techniques, analogies between condensed matter and atomic physics, quantum metrology, and micron-scale force sensing.

What's New

Zach put together this animation of the life cycle of a BEC, which follows our lithium atoms from MOT loading through gray molasses, magnetic trapping, RF evaporation, optical trapping, and Feshbach-enabled optical evaporation to the emergence of a condensate.

David recently discussed nonequilibrium matter and the goals of our NSF project on the public radio program The Academic Minute (link).

Congratulations to Weld group alumna Anne Hébert, who has received an NSF Fellowship!

Congratulations to Jacob Hines, who has received an NDSEG Fellowship!

David has received an NSF CAREER award for research on quantum emulation of strongly driven interacting systems (article).

Kevin's paper, "Fibonacci Optical Lattices for Tunable Quantum Quasicrystals," an IQE collaboration with the Parameswaran group at UC Irvine, is published in PRA.

Our paper on adiabatic cooling via the bosonic spin Mott phase (a collaboration with the MIT and Strathclyde groups) is published as a rapid communication in PRA.

Krutik, Morgan, Shura, Robert, and Eli have produced the group's first all-undergrad paper, "Photoacoustic ultrasound sources from diffusion-limited aggregates."

This recent article and video, starring several Weld group members, describes the outreach program Physics Circus.

Ruwan's paper on a microcapillary-based oven nozzle is published in RSI.

The Weld group is part of the brand-new California Institute for Quantum Emulation (CAIQuE), funded by a President's Research Catalyst Award. This five-campus collaboration includes experiment and theory groups at UCLA, Berkeley, Irvine, UCSB, and UCSD, and will focus on quantum simulation of many-body systems.

Slava's paper on a permanent-magnet-based "self-assembled Zeeman slower" is the cover article in Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics.

David has received a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). Many thanks to the white house and the Army Research Office! (announcement)

Motivated graduate students and postdoctoral researchers interested in working with our group should email David Weld.