MIT-Harvard Center for Ultracold Atoms

On top is a green cloud of atoms point up, and on bottom is a blue cloud of atoms pointing down. In between the clouds are lines representing a magnetic field repelling the atoms.

Physicists arrange atoms in extremely close proximity

The technique opens possibilities for exploring exotic states of matter and building new quantum materials.

May 2, 2024

Richard Fletcher named a 2023 Packard Fellow

Atomic physicist recognized for working to create and study exciting types of quantum matter; two MIT alumni also named.

November 27, 2023

A crossword-type grid has white and black squares. In some black squares are red and blue balls. Some are linked together with a gradient line.

MIT physicists generate the first snapshots of fermion pairs

The images shed light on how electrons form superconducting pairs that glide through materials without friction.

July 6, 2023

How ultracold, superdense atoms become invisible

A new study confirms that as atoms are chilled and squeezed to extremes, their ability to scatter light is suppressed.

November 18, 2021

Scientists at MIT, Harvard University, and elsewhere have now demonstrated that photons can be made to interact — an accomplishment that could open a path toward using photons in quantum computing, if not in light sabers.

Physicists create new form of light

Newly observed optical state could enable quantum computing with photons.

February 15, 2018

Physicists at MIT and Harvard University have demonstrated a new way to manipulate quantum bits of matter. The researchers report using a system of finely tuned lasers to first trap and then tweak the interactions of 51 individual atoms, or quantum bits.

Scientists demonstrate one of largest quantum simulators yet, with 51 atoms

New technique manipulates atoms into antiferromagnetic state.

November 29, 2017

$MIT physicists have invented a new technique to cool atoms into condensates, which is faster than the conventional method and conserves a large fraction of the original atoms.$

A faster way to make Bose-Einstein condensates

Method of laser cooling may speed up investigations into magnetism and superconductivity.

November 23, 2017

This vacuum chamber with apertures for several laser beams was used to cool molecules of sodium-potassium down to temperatures of a few hundred nanoKelvins, or billionths of a degree above absolute zero. Such molecules could be used as a new kind of qubit, a building block for eventual quantum computers.

Ultracold molecules hold promise for quantum computing

New approach yields long-lasting configurations that could provide long-sought “qubit” material.

July 27, 2017

This image shows the basic setup that enables researchers to use lasers as optical “tweezers” to pick individual atoms out from a cloud and hold them in place. The atoms are imaged onto a camera, and the traps are generated by a laser that is split into many different focused laser beams. This allows a single atom to be trapped at each focus.

Scientists set traps for atoms with single-particle precision

Technique may enable large-scale atom arrays for quantum computing.

November 3, 2016

“Learning from this model, we can understand what’s really going on in these superconductors, and what one should do to make higher-temperature superconductors, approaching hopefully room temperature,” says Martin Zwierlein, professor of physics and principal investigator in MIT’s Research Laboratory of Electronics.

For first time, researchers see individual atoms keep away from each other or bunch up as pairs

Observations of atomic interactions could help pave way to room-temperature superconductors.

September 15, 2016

MIT team creates ultracold molecules

At near absolute zero, molecules may start to exhibit exotic states of matter.

June 10, 2015

MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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