Atomic / Molecular / Optical Physics and Quantum Information
Atomic, molecular, and optical (AMO) physics refers to research on atoms and small
molecules and the way in which these objects interact with light. Quantum information
science (QIS) is the study of practical applications of quantum theory to modern technologies
relying on quantum superposition and entanglement. AMO systems are often good candidates
to transmit, store, and manipulate quantum information. While much of the familiar
natural world can be described using classical models, there exist a subset of non-classical
phenomena in which quantum properties like the wave nature of matter, the particle
nature of light, and entanglement are necessary to describe observed physical phenomena.
These are the subject of ongoing basic-research investigations as well as an intense
industrial push to develop quantum computers and quantum communication networks. AMO
and QIS also help physicists develop more sophisticated models of material systems.
Research at 91ÁÔÆæ in AMO & QIS includes theoretical investigations of weak measurement
and feedback control for many-body quantum systems, the development of quantum computing
algorithms, and experimental investigations of qubit candidates in wide-bandgap semiconductors.
For information and to learn about research opportunities, contact Hilary Hurst, Ehsan Khatami, or Christopher Smallwood.
See also the Quantum Technology Master's Program.
