Undergraduate Projects
Early 2023 we will start a new research line aimed toward quantum-engineered precision measurements of single HD+ ions, stored together with a single beryllium 'qubit' ion in ultrahigh vacuum in an ion trap. A true quantum harmonic oscillator that you can actually see on camera, and that can be brought in an entangled state using advanced laser systems and automated experiment control.
Other research lines are spin-flip measurements in our existing HD+ ion-trap apparatus, aimed to find out the origin of a 9sigma discrepancy between precision measurements in our lab and QED theory. Is it a grossly overlooked experimental error, or an overlooked term in the QED theory, or are we possibly seeing a manifestation of new physical phenomena beyond the standard model?
And on a different subject we have projects on the ultraprecise fiber-optic time and frequency distribution network that we are building between VU and UvA, and in the near future also with fiber-optic connections to other institutes such as VSL Delft, where the national atomic time UTC(VSL) is realized. This involves ultrastable lasers, telecom equipment - notably the White Rabbit equipment developed at CERN for the LHC beam timing system - and applications like quantum sensing through fiber-optic networks, new timing and positioning systems, virtual atomic clocks based on fiber-optic networks and White Rabbit, and even radio astronomy with observatories such as LOFAR. For more information please do not hesitate to contact Jeroen Koelemeij