************************************ * QUANTUM OPTICS AND ATOM OPTICS * * IN AUSTRALASIA * * * * * * * * MONTHLY NEWSLETTER * * VOL V, NO 2 * * * * February 1997 * * * * ISSN 1325-6467 * * * Edited by: Murray Hamilton * \ | / * Physics, University of Adelaide, * \__|__/ * SA 5005, Australia. * | * email: mwh@physics.adelaide.edu.au Available on WWW at: * | * phone: +61 8 8303 5322 http://www.anu.edu.au * | * fax: +61 8 8232 6541 /Physics/newsletter * * ___________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTENTS 1. ABSTRACTS 2. CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENTS 3. WANTED TO BUY/SELL 4. SITUATIONS VACANT 5. MISC NEWS (real news if you like!) ______________________________________________________________________________ ___________________ 1. ABSTRACTS TITLE: Accelerated guided atomic pulse AUTHORS:S. Dyrting, W. Zhang and B. C. Sanders JOURNAL:Physical Review A STATUS: Submitted ABSTRACT: The deleterious effects of dispersion on a propagating coherent atomic pulse, along the axis of a travelling--wave laser beam, can be ameliorated by the nonlinear self-interacting force due to dipole--dipole coupling between atoms. We show that a wide atomic pulse with a particular profile can retain its shape during propagation, and, moreover, the momentum of the pulse increases due to photon absorption. For the wide soliton case, we demonstrate analytically that the self--interacting atomic force scales inversely with the third power of the pulse width. _______________________________________________________________________________ ******************************************************************************* 2. CONFERENCES / WORKSHOPS --------------------------- _______________________________________________________________________________ THE 11th CONFERENCE OF AUSTRALIAN OPTICAL SOCIETY THE UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE, 10 - 12 DEC. 1997 This now has a web page. - go to http://bragg.physics.adelaide.edu.au/~mwh/aosmeet.html _______________________________________________________________________________ WORKSHOP ON QUANTUM COHERENCE AND INFORMATION PROCESSING ADELAIDE DECEMBER 1997 This now has a web page. - go to http://bragg.physics.adelaide.edu.au/~mwh/qiproc.html ==== For this file or its updated versionm, web or . You may send an e-mail to , with QO4.97 on your Subject line. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE QUANTUM OPTICS IV JASZOWIEC, POLAND JUNE 17-24, 1997 SITE AND DATE The International Conference Quantum Optics IV will be held in Jaszowiec, Poland from Tuesday, June 17 to Tuesday, June 24, 1997. ORGANIZATION The International Conference Quantum Optics IV is organized by the Institute of Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences and the Center for Theoretical Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences under the guidance of the International Program Committee. PROGRAM COMMITTEE I. Bialynicki-Birula (Poland) J. Mostowski (Poland) N. Bigelow (USA) K. Rzazewski (Poland) J. H. Eberly (USA) L. Sirko (Poland) M. Fedorov (Russia) H. Walther (Germany) PROGRAM AND CONTRIBUTIONS The major topics of the Conference are the following: cold atoms, interaction of atoms with strong fields, and quantum chaos. The Conference will include invited lectures and poster sessions. Titles of posters should be submitted to the organizers not later than March 31, 1997. Posters should not be bigger than 1m by 1m. Conference proceedings will be published as a special issue of Acta Physica Polonica A. PRELIMINARY LIST OF INVITED SPEAKERS N. Bigelow (USA) P. M. Koch (USA) R. Blumel (Germany) K. Kulander (USA) C. Bowden (USA) M. Lewenstein (France) C. Clark (USA) F. de Martini (Italy) J. Dalibard (France) H. Metcalf (USA) J. H. Eberly (USA) W. Schleich (Germany) A. Ekert (UK) G. Shlyapnikov (Russia) M. Fedorov (Russia) I. A. Walmsley (USA) R. Glauber (USA) H. Walther (Germany) R. Grobe (USA) M. Wilkens (Germany) F. Haake (Germany) L. You (USA) ACCOMODATION The participants will be accommodated in two neighboring holiday hotels "Kolejarz" and "Gwarek" in Ustron-Jaszowiec. All the rooms have individual bathrooms. The rooms are moderatelly well equipped (approximatelly, the standard of a two-star hotel). All meals will be served in the dinning room of "Gwarek" hotel. PAYMENT The conference fee is $395 or equivalent. This covers registration, accomodation in single rooms, all meals, conference dinner, and conference proceedings. Accompanying persons will be charged about $40 per day (including meals). We expect to have limited number of grants for partial support. Payment should be sent to the organizers before March 31, 1997. Form of payment: By bank draft to: Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Bank PBK, XIII Oddzial Warszawa, account No. 370044-3593-2700-1-64, with note "Quantum Optics IV". By check, cashier check or international money order, payable to Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warszawa. JASZOWIEC AND ENVIRONS Jaszowiec, a tourist village in Beskidy Mountains, is located between Wisla, Ustron, and Cieszyn in Southern Poland. We hope that this location will create a nice workshop atmosphere. It will also offer an opportunity for relaxing mountain hikes. SOCIAL PROGRAM AND TOURS A variety of social events and tours will be organized for the Conference participants and accompanying persons. CORRESPONDENCE All correspondence concerning the Conference should be addressed to: International Conference Quantum Optics IV Leszek Sirko Institute of Physics Polish Academy of Sciences Al. Lotnikow 32/46 02-668 Warszawa, Poland tel. +48-22-437001 ext. 3385 fax: +48-22-430926 e-mail: qo4@ifpan.edu.pl This circular and registration form are also available on the WWW pages at http://info.ifpan.edu.pl/conferences/qo4.html For other interesting conferences, send an e-mail to with CONFMENU on your Subject line, or web . _________________________________________________________________________ =========================================== IV Workshop Optics and Interferometry with Atoms 21st - 23rd July 1997 St. John's College, Oxford, England. Chairman: Prof. K. Burnett =============================================== Confirmed invited speakers include D. Pritchard (MIT), P.Hannaford (CSIRO), M.Kasevich (Stanford), J. Helmcke (PTB), J. Dalibard (ENS). The workshop will cover all topics relating to optics and interferometry with atoms including atom optics, Bose-Einstein condensation, lithography and optical lattices Presentations in oral and poster format are invited from the participants. The deadline for registration is 1st May 1997 and abstracts (which should be no longer than two sides of A4) should also be submitted by 1st May 1997. ======================================================================= If you require further information, including an application form then you may reply to this email address (atopt@mildred.physics.ox.ac.uk) with an email entitled "application form". ======================================================================= The application form and further details can also be found at our www site: http://eve.physics.ox.ac.uk/Confer/atopt/home.html ****************************************************************************** 3. WANTED TO BUY We are presently rationalising our research facilities, and, as a result we are offering for sale the following lasers: a. Lambda Physik excimer laser, model LPX 205i, built December 1993. The laser is currently configured to operate at 308nm, and is matched ideally to pump the LPD dye laser. b. Lambda Physik excimer laser, model Compex 102, built November 1994. The laser is configured to operate at 193 and 244nm, but could be easily converted to operate at 308nm, to pump the LPD dye laser. c. Lambda Physik dye laser, model LPD 3002 CES, built March 1993. The laser has an etalon for narrow linewidth operation, and includes a (non standard) frequency doubling crystal. d. Spectra Physics argon laser, model 2080, built 1992. The laser has a brand new tube, and comes with single line and multi line optics. Notes: 1. All lasers are in excellent condition, and have been maintained by Lambda Physik or Spectra Physics technicians as appropriate. Service and operation log books, manuals, and standard parts and maintenance kits are available for all lasers. 2. We wish to sell either one of the excimer lasers, but not both. If you are interested in purchasing any of the above lasers, or would like to obtain further information please contact me by e-mail, fax or phone. Peter Krug *--------------------------------------------------------------* | Dr. Peter A. Krug | | Senior Research Scientist | | _ /\ | | Australian Photonics CRC _| |_/ \ | | Optical Fibre Technology Centre / \ | | 101 National Innovation Centre / \ | | Australian Technology Park | ___ > | | Eveleigh N.S.W. 1430 \___/ \ */ OFTC | | Australia \__/ | | \/ | | Ph.: +61-2-9351 1921 | | Fax: +61-2-9351 1910 | | E-mail: p.krug@oftc.usyd.edu.au | *--------------------------------------------------------------* ______________________________________________________________________________ ****************************************************************************** 4. SITUATIONS VACANT MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICS, PHYSICS, COMPUTING AND ELECTRONICS RESEARCH FELLOW IN PHYSICS REF: 17762 The appointee will work on an ARC funded project to study the quantum statistics of ultracold atoms in an optical lattice. Applicants must have a PhD in theoretical physics. Preference will be given to applicants with a background in quantum or atom optics,experience with computer simulation, knowledge of many-body quantum statistics and laser cooling of atoms. ENQUIRIES: Dr Weiping Zhang on +61 (02) 9850 8951, fax +61 (02) 9850 8115 or email: weiping@mpce.mq.edu.au The position is available from 1 April 1997 for a fixed term of two years. SALARY RANGE: Level A A$30,130 to A$40,889 per annum. CLOSING DATE: 1 February 1997. GENERAL: Applications including full curriculum vitae and quoting the reference number, visa status, and the names and addresses of three referees should be forwarded to the Recruitment Manager, Personnel Office,Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia by the closing date. Applications will not be acknowledged unless specifically requested. Women are particularly encouraged to apply. Equal Employment Opportunity and No Smoking in the Workplace are University Policies. ______________________________________________________________________________ SEMICONDUCTOR QUANTUM OPTICS Postdoctoral Research Assistant Department of Physics, University of Oxford A vacancy exists in the Physics Department at Oxford University for a postdoctoral research assistant to work on quantum optical processes in semiconductors. The work will form part of a three year project funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council under the direction of Prof. J.F. Ryan and Dr. A.M. Fox. The project will involve experimental studies on quantum optical effects in semiconductor structures and devices. The group are leaders in the generation of quadrature squeezed light in semiconductors by femtosecond nonlinear optics, and funding has now been obtained to extend this work to photon-number squeezing in semiconductor devices and to quantum optical effects in semiconductor microcavity structures. Applications are sought from candidates with a background in experimental quantum optics, although candidates with relevant experience in nonlinear optics will also be considered. Enquiries should be addressed to Dr. Mark Fox. ************************************************************************ ****************************************************************** Dr. A. Mark Fox University of Oxford Tel: 01865 272207 Department of Physics Fax: 01865 272400 Clarendon Laboratory email: a.fox1@physics.ox.ac.uk Parks Road mark.fox@physics.ox.ac.uk Oxford OX1 3PU U.K. ****************************************************************** ****************************************************************************** 5. MISC NEWS PHYSICS NEWS UPDATE The American Institute of Physics Bulletin of Physics News Number 305 January 27, 1997 by Phillip F. Schewe and Ben Stein A RUDIMENTARY ATOM LASER has been created at MIT, promising significant improvements in high precision measurements with atoms and offering the prospect of future nanotechnology applications, such as atom lithography, in which lines are drawn on integrated circuits (by directly depositing atoms) with greater precision than ever before. In an atom laser the output beam consists of a single coherent atom wave, just as in a regular laser the beam consists of a coherent light wave. The working substance for the atom laser is a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) of sodium atoms, cooled and contained within an atom trap by a shaped magnetic field. BEC itself was achieved for the first time only as recently as 1995 (see Update 233). It is a condition in which atoms are chilled to such low energies that, in a wavelike sense, the atoms begin to overlap and enter into a single quantum state. Wolfgang Ketterle and his colleagues at MIT make their claim of producing the first atom laser on the basis of two experimental developments, as reported in two journals this week. In the first effort (M.-O.Mewes et al., Physical Review Letters, 27 January 1997) a portion of a sodium condensate was successfully extracted under controlled conditions. They achieve "output coupling" by applying radiofrequency radiation to the BEC; this "tips" the atoms' spins by an adjustable amount, putting the atoms in a superposition of quantum states. Thereafter some of the atoms feel the effect of the surrounding magnetic field in a different way and are able to leave the atom trap. It is these departing atoms, still enjoying the coherent properties of the BEC state, that constitute an atom laser beam. Pulled downward by gravity, the beam was observed over a distance of millimeters, although in principle it could travel further in an undisturbed vacuum environment. The second development was to verify that the atom waves are indeed coherent (M.R. Andrews et al., Science, 31 January 1997). At the time of the original BEC discovery, many physicists expected the atoms in the condensate to fall into a single quantum state; some hypothesized that it could take a time equal to the age of the universe for true coherence to come about. The MIT group addressed this issue by creating two BEC clouds in a special trap. Turning off the trap allows the clouds to expand, overlap, and interfere, producing a pattern of light and dark fringes. The observed patterns (viewed with an electronic camera) could only exist if each BEC was an intense coherent wave. The MIT team determined that the atom wave associated with each BEC had a wavelength of 30 microns, a million times larger than the wavelengths associated with room-temperature atoms. In addition to coherence, the atom laser waves are analogous to the light waves in an optical laser in another respect as well. Just as a laser beam is more intense than an equivalent stream of light from the Sun, the MIT atom beam is also more intense (for a given beam spotsize) than ordinary atom beams (whose atoms possess a variety of energies) since it delivers a powerful, directional stream of atoms in a single quantum state. In other ways, the atom lasers and light lasers are different. According to Ketterle, "Photons can be created but not atoms. The number of atoms in an atom laser is not amplified. What is amplified is the number of atoms in the lowest-energy quantum state, while the number of atoms in other states decreases." Graphics and more text can be viewed on the World Wide Web at this address: www.aip.org/physnews/special.htm. ----- End Included Message ----- ****************************************************************************** The end. Murray Hamilton Department of Physics and Mathematical Physics University of Adelaide Adelaide SA 5005 Sth Australia Ph + 61 8 8303 5322 fax + 61 8 8232 6541 email mwh@physics.adelaide.edu.au