SCOUTFermi2D · Strongly correlated ultracold fermions in two-dimensional tailored optical potentials: pairing, superfluidity and disorder
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2016-08-22 → 2018-08-21
- EU contribution
- €168,277
- Participants
- 2
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF-EF-ST
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Strongly correlated ultracold fermions in two-dimensional tailored optical potentials: pairing, superfluidity and disorder
The experimental study of strongly correlated materials and their description using simplified models are among the fundamental challenges of modern quantum sciences. Ultracold atomic simulators offer an effective approach to address open problems in quantum many-body physics: clean and controllable quantum systems can be directly realized, with the possibility of externally adjusting the key parameters, such as interparticle interactions and dimensionality. Owing to the impressive advances in atom trapping and manipulation during the last decade, paradigmatic models can be implemented, opening new avenues for the realization of “designer materials” with tailored quantum properties. In this context, it has recently become possible to engineer nearly arbitrary optical potentials for cold atoms at the micrometer scale: the light patterns generated by digital micromirror devices (DMD) can be imprinted onto the atoms through high-resolution optical microscopes. This, in combination with optical lattices or other confining potentials, allows for realizing tunable geometries with unprecedented precision and flexibility, to emulate for instance the transport structures typical of electronic devices within the emerging field of atomtronics. In this project, we aimed at realizing an atomic Fermi gas with tunable interactions, trapped in tailored optical potentials within different two-dimensional geometries. By implementing advanced probing techniques, such as high-resolution imaging and matter-wave interference, in combination with macroscopic transport measurements, we can access essential observables of the system such as spatial correlations, collective modes and transport coefficients. We have completed a versatile and stable experimental setup, featuring high-resolution imaging of ultracold lithium gases, fast high-precision radiofrequency (RF) spectroscopy and arbitrary high-resolution potential imprinting. The combination of such advanced tools offers novel, unique possibilities for exploring the nature of fermionic superfluidity from three to two spatial dimensions, also in the presence of controllable disorder or multi-flavored fermionic mixtures.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Two-dimensional fermionic systems exhibit some of the most remarkable phenomena in modern physics, combining fundamental aspects with a high technological impact. Their peculiar and rich behavior arises from the interplay between quantum statistics, dimensionality and strong interactions, which also makes their theoretical treatment extremely challenging. This project proposes to explore the physics of strongly correlated fermions in different two-dimensional (2D) landscapes with an ultracold gas of lithium atoms trapped in optical potentials. Ultracold quantum gases are in fact the ideal platform for approaching open problems in condensed matter theory and also an exciting toolbox for the search for novel synthetic phases of matter.The project aims to study fermionic superfluidity across the two-dimensional BEC-BCS crossover, unveiling its special nature by implementing advanced probing techniques such as high-resolution imaging and Bragg spectroscopy and suitable transport measurements that will reliably identify the transition to the superfluid regime. The investigation of first and second sound will be complemented by the study of the coherent Josephson tunneling between two weakly coupled 2D superfluids, a strong evidence of macroscopic phase coherence. By adding disorder, we propose to address the debated metal- and superconductor-to-insulator transitions in a pure controllable fashion, providing new insights into longstanding debates.Finally, we propose to realize three-components Fermi gases with controllable interactions, enhancing their stability in 2D. This will allow for approaching more exotic topics such as color superfluidity and trimer formation, linking our research to quantum-chromodynamics (QCD).An experimental machine has been already set up for the requirements imposed by these goals. The successful realization of the proposed experiments will shed new light on the intriguing and interdisciplinary field of 2D strongly correlated fermions.
Original text from CORDIS.
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Data: CORDIS, © European Union