Meschede May 14 Abstract

Atoms walking in space and splashing in cavities

Experiments with single atoms have illustrated numerous properties of microscopic physics. Physicist’s have therefore left the role of simple observers of the quantum world and are now becoming more and more active as quantum engineers. This route will naturally increase complexity, and it is thus natural to study the role of a second atom in experiments.

I will discuss two aspects: Two atoms “splashing” with their radiation fields in a single optical cavity. And secondly I will present measurements and interpretations of atoms in so called quantum walks. There the “quantumness” relies on controlled delocalization of atom trajectories in space and at increasingly macroscopic levels. With electric quantum walks quasi particle phenomena such as Bloch oscillations or Anderson like localization are realized in a single experiment. Controlled interaction of exactly two atoms in this situation remains a daunting but highly attractive experimental challenge. We are zeroing in.