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Mar. 26, 2015
Atom ChipBGU’s Atom Chip Group, led by Prof. Ron Folman, has received this year’s prestigious DIP grant. This is the second time the group has received this grant. The German partner is Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Schmidt-Kaler of the University of Mainz. The total grant budget is 1.6 million Euro.

The Atom Chip Lab at BGU focuses on designing and building chips that, as opposed to other existing electronic chips, will operate according to the laws of quantum physics. To achieve this, the lab replaced the electrons in regular chips with atoms that move through invisible magnetic pipes a few micrometers above the surface of the chip. The fact that the atoms do not come in contact with the chip allows them to be isolated from the environment and therefore enables quantum behavior for extended periods even though the chip itself is at room temperature. As the atoms’ temperature is in the nano-Kelvin range, the atom chip system presents the highest temperature gradient known in nature or in the lab.

Quantum theory makes possible some unique phenomenon: for example, a particle can be in more than one place simultaneously, and as a result, a quantum computer can operate at much faster speeds than a regular one. These unique chips can be utilized in a variety of technologies: from extremely precise atomic clocks, to magnetic sensors and inertial navigation systems. They may also serve as building blocks for completely secure communications, based on the no-cloning theorem in quantum mechanics.

Beyond the technological options, the atom chip can be used to conduct more precise experiments in order to understand the foundations of quantum theory, to research unique forces (like the Casimir-Polder Force between the particle and a surface) and even search for undiscovered forces, like the short range fifth force that some believe exists. It is possible that a precise atom chip could also help in the widening search for gravitational waves, as well as dark matter and dark energy which make up the essence of the universe.

The new five year research plan focuses on continuing development of the atom chip and its applications.

Additional research partners include Prof. Yehuda Band and Prof. Baruch Horovitz (BGU), Prof. Alex Retzger (Hebrew University), Prof. Carsten Henkel (Potsdam), Prof. Dmitry Budker (Mainz) and Prof. Francesco Intravia (Berlin).
 
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