JILA and NIST researchers develop miniature lens for trapping atoms

JILA and NIST researchers develop miniature lens for trapping atoms

Aug. 1, 2022

JILA Fellow Cindy Regal and her team, along with researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), have for the first time demonstrated that they can trap single atoms using a novel miniaturized version of “optical tweezers”—a system that grabs atoms using a laser beam as chopsticks.

Forbes: Department of Defense names Jun Ye one of nine 2022 Vannevar Bush Fellows

Forbes: Department of Defense names Jun Ye one of nine 2022 Vannevar Bush Fellows

July 27, 2022

As the DoD's most prestigious research award, the Vannevar Bush Fellowship is oriented towards "bold and ambitious ‘blue sky’ research that will lead to extraordinary outcomes." Fellows receive $3 million over a five-year fellowship term to pursue cutting-edge fundamental research projects.

Colorado’s quantum revolution: How scientists exploring a universe of tiny things are transforming the state into a new Silicon Valley

Colorado’s quantum revolution: How scientists exploring a universe of tiny things are transforming the state into a new Silicon Valley

June 28, 2022

“It’s amazing to see all these companies building off of Nobel Prize-winning research,” said Philip Makotyn, executive director of the CUbit Quantum Initiative, which connects quantum researchers and companies in Colorado. “It’s just a rich ecosystem that doesn't exist anywhere else.”

Connecting microwave and optical frequencies through the ground state of a micromechanical object

Connecting microwave and optical frequencies through the ground state of a micromechanical object

June 23, 2022

Systems that cool qubits are difficult to scale up in size, posing a challenge for long-distance quantum communication systems. To bypass this issue, JILA Fellows Cindy Regal, Konrad Lehnert and their teams have created a transducer that uses side-banded cooling to convert microwave photons to optical photons.

Colorado Springs Gazette spotlights state quantum ecosystem in call for cybersecurity innovations

Colorado Springs Gazette spotlights state quantum ecosystem in call for cybersecurity innovations

June 17, 2022

Quantum technology promises sophisticated cybersecurity solutions that could shake up the future of computing. Companies are setting up shop in Colorado to develop quantum-security measures, with 񱦵 and federal research facilities partnering to boost the state's nascent quantum industry.

What quantum information and snowflakes have in common, and what we can do about it

What quantum information and snowflakes have in common, and what we can do about it

June 15, 2022

Qubits are a basic building block for quantum computers, but they’re also notoriously fragile—tricky to observe without erasing their information in the process. Now, new research from 񱦵 and NIST may be a leap forward for handling qubits with a light touch.

Quantum-based laser comb may be kryptonite for methane leaks

Quantum-based laser comb may help put an end to methane leaks

June 8, 2022

“This is a technology that was developed for something completely different—for creating better atomic clocks and other tools for quantum research,” said Greg Rieker, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at 񱦵. “Now, we’re making an impact on climate change.”

University of Colorado president Saliman visits JILA

University of Colorado president Saliman visits JILA

May 23, 2022

At the invitation of JILA and NIST Fellow Eric Cornell, who has been a scientist at the institute since the 1990s, CU President Todd Saliman toured several laboratories at JILA last month. Saliman was impressed by the research team and Fellows. “You are all working to change the world,” he said.

Tweezing a new kind of qubit

Tweezing a new kind of qubit

May 4, 2022

In a new paper published in Physical Review X, JILA Fellow Adam Kaufman and his team have demonstrated that a specific isotope, mytterbium-171 (171Yb), can store quantum information in stable nuclear qubits—which allows for the ability to quickly manipulate the qubits and produce them in large, uniformly filled arrays.

An atomic game of duck, duck, goose

An atomic game of duck, duck, goose

April 15, 2022

In a joint study, Jun Ye's and Ana Maria Rey's research groups established an experimental setting where they successfully observed Pauli blocking of spontaneous emission by direct measurements of an atom's excited state population. The results have been published in the journal Physical Review Letters.

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