Research activities

In the Ytterbium Quantum Computing project we are building a Quantum computation and -simulation platform utilizing the alkaline-earth-like atom 171Yb. This isotope offers a multitude of viable advantages for encoding novel high-fidelity qubit and erasure conversion architectures. Its two-valence electron structure features a highly coherent metastable state, an optically active ion core for extended control and trapping configurations and single-photon Rydberg transitions for fast entangling gates. The ground and metastable state 1S0 and 3P0 both exhibit a decoupled nuclear spin of I=1/2 predestining 171Yb for an excellent Qu-bit.

Ultrashort laser pulses enable us to observe and manipulate matter on very short time scales, whereas ultracold atoms permit experiments with high precision and controllability. This project aims at manipulating macroscopic quantum systems on ultrafast time-scales by, for example, instantaneously introducing long-range interactions by ionizing atoms in a quantum gas.

In earthbound experiments, studying the free evolution of a BEC is limited to less than 100 ms as the atoms fall out of the interrogation volume once released from their trap. This project overcomes this limitation by dropping a complete quantum gas setup down the 110 m high free fall tower at ZARM in Bremen allowing for a free expansion of 1 s. The system facilitates the investigation of the condensate's coherence in new regimes, the operation of highly sensitive atom interferometers and is an important stepping stone for future experiments on ballistic rockets or satellites.

Light & Schools begeistert junge Leute durch spannende Experimente für die Physik. Die Angebote richten sich sowohl an Mittel- als auch Oberstufenklassen der Hamburger Stadtteilschulen und Gymnasien. Das Schullabor wurde bereits 2009 im Rahmen der Landesexzellenzinitiative, die durch die Joachim Herz Stiftung gefördert wurde, ins Leben gerufen und wird derzeit im Rahmen des SFB 925 und des Exzellenzclusters „The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging“ (CUI) fortgeführt.