IQIM Postdoctoral and Graduate Student Seminar

Abstract: ** Note: this week only the IQIM seminar and lunch will be held in 105 Annenberg.

In this talk, I will present work from my PhD at JILA in Boulder on fermionic ultracold polar molecules. Ultracold polar molecules present an ideal system for studying quantum chemistry, but they are also an attractive platform for realizing quantum many-body spin physics because of their long-range dipolar interactions and their rich internal structure. After our initial observations of ultracold chemical reactions, we began loading molecules into an optical lattice where we observed long-range spin-exchange interactions, with pseudo-spin encoded in rotational states. Further, we used a 'quantum synthesis' approach based on atomic insulators to reach a filling fraction of molecules in the lattice exceeding 30%. Current work is based on a 2nd generation apparatus where we have realized an even higher yield of molecules, and we are pursuing single-site detection and addressing of molecules in the lattice. Finally, if time permits I will draw connections to my current work in Manuel Endres' lab with Sr atoms in an array of optical tweezers.