Quantum Optics Group

Group leader: Peter DOMOKOS

Group members:  Thomas W. Clark, András Dombi, Bence Gábor (PhD student), Árpád Kurkó (PhD student), Dávid Nagy, Bálint Sárközi (MSc student), Dániel Varga (PhD student), András Vukics, Francis I. B.  Williams

Publications of the group: link to the database of the Hungarian Scientific Bibliography

The research focus is cavity quantum electrodynamics and ultracold atoms. We study the light-matter interaction in an open quantum system controlled by external fields and subjected to dissipation and quantum measurement induced back-action. 

In 2016 we started to set up a cavity QED laboratory. In 2017-2021, the laboratory was developed  as a part of the HunQuTech Project in the Quantum Technology Program within the framework of the National Excellence Program of the National Research, Development and Innovation Office. The group takes part in the Quantum Information National Laboratory since 2020. Today, the dominant activity is experimental research with cold atoms in a high-finesse optical resonator.  

We aim at the realization of quantum technological applications based on atoms and photons. We develop an atom-photon interface by means of trapped cold atoms or a Bose-Einstein condensate coupled to the radiation field of a high-finesse optical resonator in which the quantum information can be transferred between photons and atoms. Quantum information can be stored for long times in atomic hyperfine states so that this system provides for the best writable  ``quantum memory'' to date. On the way toward quantum applications, we discovered recently a  first-order phase transition with atoms having strong collective coupling to a single mode of an optical cavity. 

Collaborations: 

• CRYST^3 : Innovative prototype for trapping and cooling atoms based on Hollow Core Fibers (EU H2020 FET-Open) 
• MOCA : Integrated microwave to optical conversion on a superconducting atom chip (EU COFUND Quantera)
• V-Mag: Vector light enhanced atomic magnetometry (EU COFUND Quantera)