Events During the Week of August 24th through August 31st, 2025
Sunday, August 24th, 2025
- Academic Calendar
- Graduate School Summer 2025: Doctoral degree deadline
- Time: 11:55 pm - 12:55 am
- Abstract: CONTACT: 262-2433, gsacserv@grad.wisc.edu
Monday, August 25th, 2025
- Graduate Program Event
- Qualifying Exam Study Hall
- Time: 9:00 am - 10:30 am
- Place: 3320 CH
- Host: Jim Reardon
- Preliminary Exam
- Applications of the 6s-5d quadrupole transition in neutral Cesium atoms
- Time: 9:00 am - 11:00 pm
- Place: 5310 Chamberlin
- Speaker: Hong Ming Lim , Physics PhD Graduate Student
- Abstract: The 6s–5d electronic transition in neutral cesium atoms is a forbidden transition, and therefore has a narrow linewidth. This transition can be used in laser cooling to achieve a low Doppler temperature. One limitation of the conventional imaging method for atomic states through allowed transitions is the background light arising from the excitation laser scattered by surfaces and objects near the trapped atoms. Excited cesium atoms in the 5d state decay primarily through dipole-allowed transitions to intermediate states and emit photons at wavelengths longer than that of the excitation laser. This property can be used to perform background-free, state-selective fluorescence imaging, enabling higher fidelity and shorter imaging times. In this talk, I will present an overview of the experiments we are conducting to push the limits of high-fidelity, fast atomic state readout using this transition.
- Host: Mark Saffman
Tuesday, August 26th, 2025
- Graduate Program Event
- Qualifying Exam Study Hall
- Time: 9:00 am - 10:30 am
- Place: 3320 CH
- Host: Jim Reardon
- Wisconsin Quantum Institute
- Quantum Coffee Hour
- Time: 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
- Place: Rm.5294, Chamberlin Hall
- Abstract: Please join us for the WQI Quantum Coffee today at 3PM in the Physics Faculty Lounge (Rm.5294 in Chamberlin Hall). This series, which takes place approximately every other Tuesday, aims to foster a casual and collaborative atmosphere where faculty, post-docs, students, and anyone with an interest in quantum information sciences can come together. There will be coffee and treats.
- Outreach
- Particle Physics, Uncovering the Secrets of the Universe
- Time: 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
- Place: Memorial Union, Great Hall, 4th floor
- Speaker: Mark Thomson, Director-General Designate, CERN
- Abstract: The lecture will explore the cutting-edge frontier of particle physics and our understanding of the universe at its most fundamental level – ranging from understanding dark matter to exploring the early universe. It will focus on the world’s largest and most ambitious particle physics collider – the Large Hadron Collider at CERN – discussing what we have discovered at some of the remaining “big questions”. The lecture will also explore the plans for the next large particle physics projects in Europe and the US and will highlight the broader socio-economic impacts of large-scale scientific investments such as large collider projects.
- Host: Lepton-Photon 2025
Wednesday, August 27th, 2025
- Graduate Program Event
- Qualifying Exam Study Hall
- Time: 9:00 am - 10:30 am
- Place: 3320 CH
- Host: Jim Reardon
- Preliminary Exam
- Quantum statistics of single mode light interacting with an atomic ensemble
- Time: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
- Place: 5310 Chamberlin
- Speaker: Anirudh Yadav, Physics PhD Graduate Student
- Abstract: We study the quantum statistics of single-mode radiation emitted by an atomic ensemble when the ensemble is initially prepared in a superradiant Dicke state. We show that while the radiation is well approximated by the Glauber coherent state at early times in the evolution, the emission can be truly quantum at later times. In particular, one can observe a large amount of photon-number squeezing in the emission under certain conditions; even a Fock state can be produced. We discuss the quantum statistics of the emission for various parameters, including different initial conditions for the atomic ensemble. To obtain these results, we have developed a formalism where we are able to calculate the quantum statistics of the emission over long time-scales even when the number of atoms in the ensemble is quite large.
- Host: Deniz Yavuz
Thursday, August 28th, 2025
- Graduate Program Event
- Qualifying Exam - Classical Mechanics
- Time: 9:00 am - 10:30 am
- Place: 2241 CH
- Host: Sharon Kahn
- Graduate Program Event
- Qualifying Exam - Statistical Mechanics
- Time: 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
- Place: 2241 CH
- Host: Sharon Kahn
- Graduate Program Event
- Notebook reclamation project - 2025 edition
- Time: 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
- Place: 3328 Chamberlin
- Abstract: As you are likely aware, a large number of lab notebooks are abandoned each semester by students in physics undergrad classes. Rather than leaving these to hit the garbage or collect dust in grad offices, I invite you to help reclaim them!
1 – If you have abandoned notebooks in your office (whether from your students or notebooks that were there when you moved in!), bring them to 3328 CH by Thursday, Aug 28.
2 – Join us to help strip out and recycle the used pages (no need to sign up – just come help!)
3- Need a notebook? Reclaimed notebooks will be free for the taking in the CH lobby (next to the mural). We’ll add to the stack after each of the above sessions.
One bonus about this project is that you have a place to go with all of the abandoned notebooks that are cluttering up your offices. . and another is that you might never need to purchase another notebook for your own work!
- Host: Sharon Kahn
Friday, August 29th, 2025
- Graduate Program Event
- Qualifying Exam - Electricity and Magnetism
- Time: 9:00 am - 10:30 am
- Place: 2241 CH
- Host: Sharon Kahn
- Graduate Program Event
- Qualifying Exam - Quantum Mechanics
- Time: 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
- Place: 2241 CH
- Host: Sharon Kahn
- Preliminary Exam
- Progress toward efficient quantum networking with neutral atoms
- Time: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
- Place: B343 Sterling
- Speaker: Eunji Oh, Physics PhD Graduate Student
- Abstract: Development of quantum networks that interconnect multiple quantum processors is a central goal in quantum information science. Such networks enable remote entanglement, distributed quantum computing and quantum sensing. To make this possible, it is crucial to realize a robust and scalable platform which can serve as a building block of a quantum network. In this talk, I will present our recent progress toward building a quantum networking node capable of storing, processing, and distributing quantum information. Our system uses a compact, fiber-integrated, plug-and-play architecture based on a parabolic mirror, with two such nodes currently in operation. I will highlight our efforts to generate atom-photon entanglement between a stationary qubit (Rb-87 atom) and a flying qubit (photon), as well as discuss our future plans for achieving atom-atom entanglement - a key primitive for long-distance quantum networking. In addition to our networking efforts, I will also present our development of a fast and scalable method in controlling the quantum state of qubits in large 2D arrays. While spatial light modulators (SLMs) offer flexible control, their slow response times limit their use in fast quantum gate operations. We address this by combining an SLM with a high-speed deflector to create a hybrid beam scanner. This approach enables rapid, site-selective quantum state manipulation with addressing rates orders of magnitude faster than SLMs alone.
- Host: Mark Saffman