David S. Weiss

Research Interests

My research involves experiments with laser-cooled atoms in optical lattices and other light traps. We use cold, trapped atoms to make precise measurements of fundamental constants and to test fundamental symmetries. We also use these atoms as model systems to address issues in atomic physics, condensed-matter physics, quantum mechanics, and statistical mechanics. My group has three experimental apparatuses: one is devoted to the study of Bose-Einstein condensates in optical lattices, with an emphasis on 1D gases; one involves the development of a quantum computer using a 3D array of atoms; and one is working toward the measurement of the electron's electric dipole moment, using cold, trapped alkali atoms.

For more information, see the Weiss group web site.

Current research group

Graduate students:  Yuan Le, Peng Du, Zhenyu Wei, Maarten de Haan, Emma Hogan, Mritunjay Joshi, Drew McConnell, Shuaibing Li

Undergraduates: Ryan Zhang

new graduate student and postdoc positions are available

Research support:  National Science Foundation, Air Force Office of Scientific Research.

Education

Ph.D., Physics, Stanford University (1993)
B.A. summa cum laude, Physics, Amherst College (1985).

Committees

Space Committee
Physics Dept. Executive Committee
Peer Evaluation Committee
Web Committee
Search Committee

Honors and Awards

Davisson-Germer Prize (2022)

AAAS Fellow (2019-)
DAMOP Past Chair (2016-17)
DAMOP Chair (2015-16)
DAMOP Chair-Elect (2014-15)
DAMOP Vice-Chair (2013-14)
Fellow of the American Physical Society (2007-).
Faculty Scholar Medal in the Physical Sciences, Penn State University (2007).
Packard Fellow (1997).
Sloan Fellow (1997).
NSF Early Career Award (1996-2001).
ONR Young Investigator Award (1995-8).
Churchill Scholarship (1986).

Full list of publications on Google Scholar

Selected publications

1. Y. Le, Y. Zhang, S. Gopalikrishnan, M. Rigol, and D. S. Weiss, “Direct observation of hydrodynamization and local prethermalization”, Nature 618, 494 (2023).
2. N. Malvania, Y. Zhang, Y. Le, J. Dubail, M. Rigol and D.S. Weiss, "Generalized hydrodynamics in strongly interacting 1D Bose gases", Science 373, 1129 (2021).
3. J. Wilson, N. Malvania, Y. Le, Y. Zhang, M. Rigol and D.S.Weiss, “Observation of dynamical fermionization”, Science 367, 1461 (2020).
4.  T.-Y. Wu, A. Kumar, F. Giraldo, and D.S. Weiss, “Stern-Gerlach detection of neutral atom qubits in a state-dependent optical lattice”, Nature Physics 15, 538–542 (2019).
5. A. Kumar, T.-Y. Wu, Felipe Giraldo, and D.S. Weiss, “Sorting ultracold atoms in a 3D optical lattice in a realization of Maxwell’s demon”, Nature 561, 83 (2018).
6. D.S. Weiss and M. Saffman, “Quantum computing with neutral atoms”, Physics Today 70, no. 7, 44 (2017).
7. Y. Wang, A. Kumar, T.-Y. Wu, and D.S. Weiss, "Single-qubit gates based on targeted phase shifts in a 3D neutral atom array", Science 352, 1562 (2016).
8. Y. Wang, X. Zhang, T. Corcovilos, A. Kumar, and D.S. Weiss, “Coherent addressing of individual neutral atoms in a 3D optical lattice”, Physical Review Letters 115, 043003 (2015). Editor’s Choice.
9. L. Xia, L.A. Zundel, J. Carrasquilla, A. Reinhard, J. Wilson, M. Rigol, and D.S.Weiss, “Quantum distillation and confinement of vacancies in a doublon sea”, Nature Physics 11, 316-320 (2015). 10.1038/nphys3244,  arXiv:1409.2882.
10. K. Zhu, N. Solmeyer, C. Tang, and D. S. Weiss, “Absolute polarization measurement using a vector light shift”, Physical Review Letters 111, 243006 (2013).
11. Reinhard, Aaron, Jean-Félix Riou, Laura A. Zundel, David S. Weiss, Shuming Li, Ana Maria Rey, and Rafael Hipolito. "Self-trapping in an array of coupled 1D Bose gases." Physical Review Letters 110, 033001 (2013).
12. Li, Xiao, Theodore A. Corcovilos, Yang Wang, and David S. Weiss. "3D projection sideband cooling." Physical Review Letters 108, 103001 (2012).
13. Zhu, Kunyan, Neal Solmeyer, and David S. Weiss. "A low noise, nonmagnetic fluorescence detector for precision measurements." Review of Scientific Instruments 83, 113105 (2012).
14. Nelson, Karl D., Xiao Li, and David S. Weiss. "Imaging single atoms in a three-dimensional array." Nature Physics 3, 556 (2007).
15. T. Kinoshita, T. Wenger, and D.S. Weiss, “A quantum Newton’s cradle”, Nature 440, 900 (2006).
16. Kinoshita, Toshiya, Trevor Wenger, and David S. Weiss. "Local pair correlations in one-dimensional Bose gases." Physical Review Letters 95, 190406 (2005).
17. Kinoshita, Toshiya, Trevor Wenger, and David S. Weiss. "All-optical Bose-Einstein condensation using a compressible crossed dipole trap." Physical Review A 71, 011602(R) (2005).
18. Kinoshita, Toshiya, Trevor Wenger, and David S. Weiss. "Observation of a one-dimensional Tonks-Girardeau gas." Science 305, 1125 (2004).