Scientific activity

We perform experiments in the field of ultra-cold atoms, in order to study quantum many-body issues at the frontier of condensed matter physics, quantum optics, and metrology.

Our first experiment uses ultracold strontium gases to study quantum magnetism with large spin (9/2) fermionic particles, with an original SU(N) symmetry that reflects the invariance of interactions by any spin rotation. We are investigating the use of the narrow lines to manipulate and probe the spin degrees of freedom, in both dissipative and coherent schemes, exploiting the extraordinary sensitivity afforded by metrology tools.

In our second experiment, we intend to make use of the collective phenomenon called super-radiance to create a source of light with ultrastable frequency and a linewidth even below that of individual emitters. This « superradiant laser » relies on a continuous beam of strontium atoms passing through an optical cavity. If successful, this light source may be used as an active clock in the optical domain.

© Y. Pargoire, LPL