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Events on Friday, February 3rd, 2012

Atomic Physics Seminar
Atomic dipole traps formed in the diffraction pattern of a circular aperture for use in neutral atom quantum computing
Time: 10:00 am
Place: 5310 Chamberlin
Speaker: Katharina Gillen, California Polytechnic State University
Abstract: The quantum computing community is making evermore progress towards constructing a fully functional quantum computer. However, none of the many approaches in the different fields of physics have succeeded to date. In the neutral atom quantum computing approach, which uses atoms trapped by light fields as quantum bits (qubits), many of the requirements for a quantum computer (initialization, readout, single-qubit gates) can be met with well-established spectroscopic techniques. The recent accomplishment of two-qubit gates with neutral atoms leaves only one unattained criterion for a quantum computer: The ability to create an addressable array of many qubits.

We will present computational results on a possible solution to this problem. The diffraction pattern formed by laser light incident on a circular aperture exhibits localized bright and dark spots that can be used as atomic dipole traps. An array of such apertures results in a two-dimensional array of dipole traps that can be individually addressed with a laser beam from the third dimension. By exploiting the polarization dependence of these traps, we can also bring traps together and apart to facilitate the performance of two-qubit gates, thus creating a potential candidate for a scalable quantum memory for a neutral atom quantum computer.
Host: Saffman
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Physics Department Colloquium
Beyond the Standard Model: The Particle Physics Frontier
Time: 3:30 pm
Place: 2241 Chamberlin Hall (coffee at 4:30 pm)
Speaker: Michael Ramsey-Musolf, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Abstract: The quest to explain nature's fundamental interactions and how they shaped the evolution of the universe is one of the most compelling in modern science. The standard model of particle physics provides a partial explanation, but we know that it must be part of a larger, more complete framework. Experiments hoping to uncover what lies beyond the standard model are being carried out at three frontiers: the high energy frontier, involving facilities such as the Large Hadron Collider; the astrophysical frontier; and the intensity frontier.

In this talk, I review the motivation for searching for physics beyond the standard model. I then discuss how studies at the three frontiers may help solve one of the key problems not solvable in the standard model: the origin of matter.
Host: Department
Poster: https://www.physics.wisc.edu/events/posters/2012/2328.pdf
Presentation: https://www.physics.wisc.edu/events/presentations/2328.pdf
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