Ultra-cold atoms trapped in nano-structured optical lattices – AUFRONS

Atomic physics and solid-state devices have developed on nearly parallel tracks for several years. Surely, the breakthroughs of ultra-cold quantum gases are owing to the impetuous development of photonic devices and, reciprocally, new solid state devices are tightly related to the progress in quantum gaz control. But at this level each domain has regarded its companion merely as a tool provider. Over the last decade, however, the concept of hybrid systems where the quantum mechanical properties of coupled systems cannot be disentangled has dawned and then spurred a blossoming research activity. In this context, I envision a leap forward by engineering Bose and Fermi quantum gaz dynamics in close proximity, and strongly interacting with, nano-structured surfaces that generate sub-wavelength lattice potentials with tailored electromagnetic properties. Such hybrid simulator will bridge the gap between solid state (1A) and optical (500 nm) crystals, therefore exploiting simultaneously regimes free of far field fundamental limitations and cold atom controllability to enter deeply into strongly correlated quantum phases. In position space, for example, the diffraction limit can be bypassed in the near field and electromagnetic field can be shaped to generate arbitrary sub-wavelength patterned potentials that will experimentally allow to observe quantum magnetic properties. Complementarily, in momentum space, the dispersion relation that is bound to stay constant in vacuum can be tailored by structured matter to enter slow light regimes wherein atom-light coupling is enhanced. This could lead to new perspectives to engineer field mediated long range atom-atom interactions that are of major interest to unveil exotic quantum phases exhibiting long range correlations. This hybrid system represents a new class of quantum simulators that opens fascinating perspectives at the cost of a challenging experimental implementation. My main objective in the AUFRONS project is to pioneer the required innovative concepts and experimental tools to control and boost the dynamics of quantum gaz trapped in an electromagnetic lattice environment tailored by nano-structured surfaces. In addition to my expertise on hybrid systems, I plan to carry the project AUFRONS that mix quantum gases physics, near field optics and condensed matter physics with collaborators expert of the related research fields.