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Quantum many-body physics with atoms and photons
Add to Calendar 2021-10-14T19:45:00 2021-10-14T20:45:00 UTC Quantum many-body physics with atoms and photons https://psu.zoom.us/j/93946951319?pwd=dFVHR21XbDExR0JQanNBUldENEFvQT09
Start DateThu, Oct 14, 2021
3:45 PM
to
End DateThu, Oct 14, 2021
4:45 PM
Presented By
Ana Asenjo, Columbia University in the City of New York
Event Series: Physics Colloquium

Tightly packed ordered arrays of atoms exhibit remarkable collective optical properties, as dissipation in the form of photon emission is correlated. In this talk, I will discuss the many-body out-of-equilibrium physics of atomic arrays, and their potential to realize versatile light-matter interfaces. I will focus on the problem of Dicke superradiance, where a collection of excited atoms synchronizes as they decay, emitting a short and intense pulse of light. Superradiance remains an open problem in extended systems due to the exponential growth of complexity with atom number. I will show that superradiance is a universal phenomenon in ordered arrays, and generically occurs if the inter-atomic distance is small enough. Our predictions can be tested in state of the art experiments with arrays of neutral atoms, molecules, and solid-state emitters and pave the way towards understanding the role of many-body decay in quantum simulation, metrology, and lasing.