Quantum mechanics tells us how to predict the behavior of the microscopic world. For a single particle, the Schrödinger equation can be simulated on a computer. However, if we’re interested in a quantum system of many interacting particles, the difficulty of the problem scales up exponentially, and it becomes intractable to even the largest supercomputers. Experiments with ultracold atoms can achieve an unprecedented level of control over the building blocks of matter. We can tailor energy landscapes and Hamiltonians as we see fit to simulate other materials and also to discover new phases of matter never before seen in nature.
The group is led by Professor Wolfgang Ketterle and Professor Martin W. Zwierlein