Events at Physics |
Events During the Week of April 20th through April 27th, 2025
Monday, April 21st, 2025
- Plasma Physics (Physics/ECE/NE 922) Seminar
- Modeling (mis)adventures with the extremely anisotropic heat transport equation in fusion-grade magnetized plasmas
- Time: 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm
- Place: 1227 Engineering Hall
- Speaker: Luis Chacon , Los Alamos National Laboratory
- Abstract: Please see the seminar abstract attached.
Tuesday, April 22nd, 2025
- NPAC (Nuclear/Particle/Astro/Cosmo) Forum
- The MAIA Detector for a 10 TeV Muon Collider
- Time: 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
- Place: 5280 Chamberlin Hall &
- Speaker: Benjamin Rosser, University of Chicago
- Abstract: Muon colliders have recently emerged as an exciting option to access the 10 TeV energy scale. However, significant research and development is required to address the fundamental challenge that muons are unstable, and will decay continuously while moving through an accelerator complex. In addition, any detector will see a very large beam-induced background (BIB) from the decay of muons in the colliding beams. In this talk, I will introduce and motivate the concept of a muon collider, discuss some of the broader challenges, and thenpresent MAIA (Muon Accelerator Instrumented Apparatus), a proposed detector design for a 10 TeV muon collider.
- Host: Sridhara Dasu
- Wisconsin Quantum Institute
- Quantum Coffee Hour
- Time: 3:00 pm - 3:30 pm
- Place: Rm.5294, Chamberlin Hall
- Abstract: Please join us for the WQI Quantum Coffee today at 3PM in the Physics Faculty Lounge (Rm.5294 in Chamberlin Hall). This series, which takes place approximately every other Tuesday, aims to foster a casual and collaborative atmosphere where faculty, post-docs, students, and anyone with an interest in quantum information sciences can come together. There will be coffee and treats.
- Wisconsin Quantum Institute
- PsiQuantum's Vision for Utility-Scale, Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computing
- Time: 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
- Place: Rm.5280, Chamberlin Hall
- Speaker: Aaron Fluitt, PsiQuantum
- Abstract:
Since its founding ten years ago, PsiQuantum has been singularly focused on its goal of building and deploying a utility-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer as fast as possible. In this talk, aimed at students and postdoctoral researchers, I will outline the pillars of PsiQuantum's technology that have brought this ambitious goal within reach: silicon photonic architecture, high-volume manufacturing at a Tier 1 foundry, high-power cryogenic cooling, and error correction. I will share recent work on applications designed to deliver impact to many industries, including pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and energy. I will also outline plans for our deployment of a utility-scale fault-tolerant quantum computer at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park in Chicago. Finally, I will share information on the types of opportunities that are available now and in the foreseeable future at PsiQuantum.
- Host: Mark Saffman
Wednesday, April 23rd, 2025
- R. G. Herb Condensed Matter Seminar
- Creating hybrid quantum technologies with integrated diamond membranes
- Time: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
- Place: 5310 Chamberlin Hall
- Speaker: Alex High , University of Chicago
- Abstract: In this seminar, I will introduce how we create diamond membranes with unprecedented quality and integrate them into hybrid quantum and electronic technologies. Diamond has exceptional material properties as a host for qubits yet presents myriad challenges for integration and scalable manufacturing. The continued evolution of quantum and electronic technologies in diamond requires heterogenous material platforms for sophisticated functionalities, device integration and packaging, and improved performance. At UChicago and Argonne National Laboratory, we are creating pristine single-crystal diamond membranes that host coherent color center qubits and integrating them with a wide range of materials including silicon, fused silica, sapphire, thermal oxide, lithium niobate, tantalum, and YIG. The membrane uniformity and robustness to fabrication allows us to create state-of-the-art technologies - such as integrated photonics with record performance, multi-functional quantum sensing platforms, and quantum networking interfaces that operate at 4 Kelvin instead of resource-intensive dilution fridge temperatures. I will also demonstrate how diamond color centers can operate as high-performance optical antennas to manipulate and study their proximal environment.
- Host: Tiancheng Song
Thursday, April 24th, 2025
- R. G. Herb Condensed Matter Seminar
- Certified randomness using a trapped-ion quantum processor
- Time: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
- Place: 5310 Chamberlin Hall
- Speaker: Minzhao (Henry) Liu, JPMorganChase
- Abstract: While quantum computers have the potential to perform a wide range of practically important tasks beyond the capabilities of classical computers, realizing this potential remains a challenge. One application is the generation of remotely certifiably random bits, which are appealing for applications involving mutually untrusting parties. Recently, leveraging the classical hardness of random circuit sampling, 70 kbits of certifiably random bits, which are secure against a realistic adversary using best-known attacks, was generated using a remotely accessed untrusted trapped-ion quantum processor. We will discuss the experimental protocol, security analysis, conditions for success, and outlook. We also identify promising applications in areas including cryptography, differential privacy, and blockchain that may benefit from certified randomness, improving the security and fairness.
- Host: Matt Otten
- Astronomy Colloquium
- Galactic Correlates of Supermassive Black Hole Growth and Their Application
- Time: 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
- Place: 4421 Sterling Hall
- Speaker: Niel Brandt, Penn State
- Abstract: The co-evolution of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) and galaxies can be effectively constrained through sample-based analyses of the galactic correlates of long-term SMBH growth. Relevant correlates include galaxy stellar mass (M*), star formation rate (SFR), and compactness. The sample-averaged SMBH accretion rate (BHAR), which constrains long-term SMBH growth in galaxy populations of interest, is statistically measured using data from sensitive X-ray surveys including the Chandra Deep Fields, XMM-SERVS, COSMOS, and eFEDS. We have been advancing such investigations using partial-correlation analyses and complete, high-quality samples now reaching 8100 AGNs in 1.3 million galaxies, and I will briefly summarize some key findings. Specifically, (1) for the general galaxy population at z = 0.1-4, SMBH growth correlates most strongly with M*; (2) for bulge-dominated systems, a strong BHAR-SFR correlation is observed, indicating synchronized growth between SMBHs and bulges; (3) BHAR also clearly correlates with galaxy compactness among star-forming galaxies, likely due to enhanced nuclear gas density for compact galaxies. Furthermore, combining these empirical correlations with large-scale numerical simulations of galaxy evolution enables improved tracking of SMBH growth through accretion and mergers across cosmic history. This approach provides insights into the evolution of the SMBH mass function, the SMBH mass-M* scaling relation, the relative importance of accretion and mergers to overall SMBH growth, and long-lived wandering SMBHs.
- Host: Melinda Soares-Furtado
Friday, April 25th, 2025
- Black and Brown in Physics
- BBiP APIDA Heritage Month Celebration
- Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
- Place: Sterling B343
- Abstract: The Black and Brown in Physics (BBiP) student organization would like to invite you to our Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Heritage Month celebration on Friday (4/25) at 1 PM in Sterling B343. We will have 2 featured speakers -- Abriana Joy Himantog (our very own Social Media Director!), and Bery who will be talking about their culture, heritage, and experiences. We will also be catering lunch from Rising Sons, a Lao and Thai restaurant. We hope that you'll be able to join us in our last Heritage Month celebration of the semester!
Anyone interested in joining our event virtually can do so using the Zoom Link: - Climate & Diversity
- Physics Quest: an end-of-year scavenger hunt
- Time: 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
- Place: Chamberlin Hall, 2nd floor lobby or Univ Ave patio if the weather cooperates
- Speaker: N/A
- Abstract: Take a break, show off your knowledge of Chamberlin Hall quirks, win fabulous prizes, and enjoy refreshments at Physics Quest: a UW–Madison physics-themed scavenger hunt!
- Host: Ayshea Banes, Jakob Mills, and Sophia Nowak, student reps to C&D committee
- Physics Department Colloquium
- Carbon Dioxide Removal: Scaling Technologies to Combat Climate Change
- Time: 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
- Place: 2241 CH
- Speaker: Jan Huckfeldt, Climeworks
- Abstract: As the climate crisis intensifies, innovative CO2 removal technologies offer a beacon of hope. This lecture will explore cutting-edge Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) methods, evaluating their potential impact and scalability. We'll delve into the current state of climate science, assess various CDR technologies, and discuss the challenges and prerequisites for their widespread implementation, offering insights into the future of climate mitigation strategies.
- Host: Uwe Bergmann