New light into the quantum world of ultracold atoms
As atoms or molecules are maintained at temperatures close to zero Kelvin, motion nearly ceases and odd phenomena emerge; the atom properties remain unknown or strongly depend on those of other distant atoms. The EU-funded project MASCARA (Quantum dynamics of strongly correlated systems and ultra-cold atomic gases) explored fundamental questions about the dynamics present in lattice bosons and quantum gases in continuous space. Scientists used a computational method for quantum systems called time-dependent variational Monte Carlo (t-VMC) to study correlation in ultracold atoms. In their bid to investigate how fast correlations can spread in lattice bosons following a quantum quench, scientists provided answers to two fundamental issues. By further exploring the role of the dimensionality of the system in spreading quantum information, the team enhanced understanding of how geometry can change the speed at which quantum information can travel in a correlated quantum system. Another part of study was geared towards further exploring transport and collective motion in interacting quantum gases. This goal was achieved by extending t-VMC to systems in continuous space. Project findings contribute to a better quantum understanding of matter and have been published in numerous papers.
Keywords
Ultracold atoms, molecular gases, atomic gases, lattice bosons, quantum gases