Summary
Neutrons are a powerful probe of matter and physics due to their Angstrom size wavelengths, electric neutrality and relatively large mass. In this project, we develop quantum sensors that exploit these attributes to increases the precision of measurements of fundamental forces and materials structure. With David Cory, Alexander Cronin of the University of Arizona, Han Wen of National Institute of Healthand collaborators at NIST, we engineer structure into neutron beams in the form of spatially correlated spin, phase, linear and angular momentum to create novel neutron interferometers. Examples include, three-phase grating interferometers capable of high precision measurements of the gravitational constant, and phase contrast imaging to map the internal structure of quantum materials.
Figure 1. An experimental configuration for quantum sensing via structured neutron probes and interferometry. Such experiments can be applied for measurements of the gravitational constant, for phase contrast neutron imaging and for mapping the internal structure of quantum materials.
Related Content
Mesoscopic systems as coherent control elements
Summary Mesoscopic systems provide a new tool for quantum systems design. In particular, they are enabling of robust quantum control. Here “mesoscopic system” refers to a connected network where each element, if studied alone, would be a quantum bit. The network is too big to be treated fully quantum mechanically. We do not have individual […]
September 1, 2016
Quantum Dynamics of Cavity Interactions with Spin Ensembles
Summary High quality factor cavities can be powerful control elements for ensembles of spins, enabling unitary control as well as on demand cooling. They can also be used to couple two otherwise non-interacting ensembles. The goal of the project is to explore the physics and engineering of such systems both theoretically and experimentally. The laboratory contains a […]
September 7, 2016
Combined momentum- and real-space photoelectric probes of dimensionality-tuned Weyl semimetals
Summary The library of two-dimensional (2D) materials has recently grown to include topological insulators and semimetals. Their incorporation in special device geometries may lead to novel quantum electronics with enhanced functionalities. Weyl semimetals, in particular, offer the most robust form of topological protection. Recent results from our group indicate that Weyl nodes should be […]
March 12, 2019
Harnessing the Promise of Quantum Materials for Future Electronic Devices
Summary Two-dimensional (2D) quantum materials, such as graphene and molybdenum disulfide, have great potential for use in future flexible and wearable electronics applications. With traditional silicon-based electronics nearing their theoretical performance limits, nano-electronics made from 2D quantum materials offer breakthrough opportunities for energy-efficient, wearable ubiquitous computation. In this project, we will study integration of […]
June 14, 2018