[Seminar] Hot atomic vapors: From fundamental science to quantum technologies

Title: Hot atomic vapors: From fundamental science to quantum technologies

Speaker:  Dr Robert Löw, Deputy Director, 5th Institute of Physics, University of Stuttgart, Germany

Abstract:
The spectroscopy of atomic alkali vapors has a 150 years old history, reaching back to Robert Bunsen and Robert Kirchhoff. The observation of discrete fingerprint-like lines in the spectra of alkali-salts helped to develop quantum mechanics as we know it today. With this knowledge we were able to turn observation into manipulation by modern laser technology. Narrow-band lasers can control atoms at will, in all their internal and external degrees of freedom. These technological achievements enabled the realization of Bose-Einstein condensates, unmatched precise quantum sensors and superior non-linear optical features. The quest today is to combine all this benefits into fully integrated vapor cell packages including laser sources, photon detectors, wave-guiding structures and gas handling, to develop the next generation of quantum sensors/references. The main applications are magnetometers, gyroscopes, rf/microwave/THz-sensors, pressure sensors, clocks, single photon sources/storages, and frequency references. With the nowadays advancement of technology we observe here and there new querries, which fall into the field of fundamental science. This closes the cycle of applied engineering back to basic physics, which makes the research on hot atom spectroscopy so appealing.