Natural Sciences: Atoms under control

12/10/2010
Natural Sciences: Atoms under control

Listen "Natural Sciences: Atoms under control"

Episode Synopsis

Physicist Professor Immanuel Bloch and his team probe quantum interactions using ultracold atoms confined in optical lattices − crystals made of light beams. The set-up allows them to simulate conditions in real crystalline solids, which are often impossible to study directly. The ability to manipulate atomic behavior in such lattices provides insight into superconductivity and forms the basis for the elements of a quantum computer.

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