FOR 2247:  From few to many-body physics with dipolar quantum gases

• Subject Area: Physics
• Term: from 2016 to 2023
• Website: Homepage
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 258183570

Dipolar gases constitute one of the most active and promising research topics in the very competitive field of ultracold gases. The long-range and anisotropic character of the dipole-dipole interaction is expected to result in an exciting novel physics for dipolar gases both at the few- and many-body level, which is just starting to be unveiled in recent years. Hence, research on dipolar gases covers a very broad area, containing many aspects that a single group will hardly be able to address alone. The main objective of the proposed Research Unit is thus to foster the competitiveness of Germany and Austria in the challenging field of dipolar quantum gas physics by combining the expertise of leading research groups working on dipolar gases in our two countries. The Research Unit will allow to create new synergies and collaborations, and to build a common platform to address novel questions at the forefront of modern quantum physics. We plan to combine and coordinate our research activities along three main scientific objectives:- The development of novel experimental tools for the creation and manipulation of degenerate gases of highly magnetic atoms and polar molecules.- The investigation of two- and few-body collisional processes (such as reactive and non-reactive collisions) and the establishment of a common toolbox for engineering two and few-body properties of dipolar gases of atoms and molecules.- The theoretical and experimental investigation of many-body dipolar physics with particular emphasis on novel phenomena such as roton excitations, inter-layer composites, and supersolids.We are strongly committed to establish a collaborative frame that will create new links and solid cooperation between our teams, encouraging lively discussions, the interchange of know-how, and development of novel ideas and tools among our groups. We will structure these networking activities by means of a Joint Virtual Institute, which will organize several initiatives, including a common IT infrastructure, a visitors program, yearly workshops, student visits, and coordinated task forces.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• International Connection: Austria

Projects

• A two-dimensional ultracold gas of fermionic polar LiCs molecules (Applicant Weidemüller, Matthias )
• Anisotropic interactions in an ultracold Dysprosium gas (Applicant Pfau, Tilman )
• Collisions of polar bosonic NaK molecules (Applicant Ospelkaus, Silke )
• Coordination Funds (Applicant Ospelkaus, Silke )
• Dipolar quantum gases of strongly magnetic atoms (Applicant Ferlaino, Ph.D., Francesca )
• Few- to many-body physics with ground state bosonic NaK polar molecules (Applicants Bloch, Immanuel ;  Luo, Xin-Yu )
• Quantum dynamics of strongly correlated RbCs dipolar quantum gases (Applicant Nägerl, Hanns-Christoph )
• Quantum matter with anisotropic dipole-dipole interaction (Applicant Büchler, Hans Peter )
• T1: Rotons and quantum droplets in dipolar Bose-Einstein condensates (Applicant Santos, Luis )
• T3: Superfluidity in Strong Dipolar Quantum Gases (Applicant Pelster, Axel )

• Spokesperson: Professorin Dr. Silke Ospelkaus