Jochim, Selim

Date:    Tuesday, September 5, 2023 
Time:    10:00
Place:    ETH Campus Hönggerberg, HCI G 3
Host:    Tilman Esslinger 

Rotating traps, a Laughlin wave function, and the emergence of fluid behavior

Selim Jochim –  Heidelberg University 

Abstract: In our quest to construct many body systems atom by atom, we are controlling the motional degree of atoms quantum by quantum in a close to harmonic trapping potential. Our newest addition to our toolbox is the ability to rotate a slightly elliptic potential in order to introduce angular momentum into the system. In this way we can prepare single atoms or molecules in a state with discrete angular momentum. Attempting to realize a many-body system we make the first step by introducing angular momentum to the relative motion of two atoms, effectively creating a Laughlin state, where the atoms minimize interaction. While so far we have no ability to realize a manipulate the atoms in a spin selective way, we use a coupling between center-of-mass and relative motion to create the Laughlin state. While we are still looking for ideas on how to create such states with larger numbers of atoms, we have already studied how collective modes in emerge as the system size is increased. We clearly observe a quadrupole mode with about 20 atoms, indicating fluid behavior. Another observable for fluid behavior is elliptic flow that has been employed heavily in heavy-ion physics. In a 2-dimensional configuration we observe elliptic flow for as few as 10 atoms.