Quantum Optics Colloquium by Hanns-Christoph Nägerl

Cold atoms: A wonderful platform for quantum physics

Since the formation of atomic Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC) nearly 30 years ago, systems of cold atoms have developed into a versatile playground for the investigation into quantum many-body physics, with the promise to shed light onto dynamical processes in the spirit of quantum simulation efforts. With exquisite parameter control and a broad range of detection methods, a multitude of phenomena, ranging from superfluidity and quantum phase transitions to supersolidity and quantum transport, can be probed with high precision. I will give a broad introduction to the field of cold atoms and its techniques, and then turn to a selected set of experiments from my group that address various dynamical quantum many-body phenomena such as dynamical localization in 1D [1] and, surprisingly, also in 3D [2], and the breaking thereof, anyonization of bosons [3], and fractional Fermi seas [4].

[1] Observation of many-body dynamical localization, Y. Guo et al., Science 389, 716 (2025).

[2] Observation of many-body dynamical localization in a three-dimensional quantum gas, C. Cantillano et al., manuscript in preparation.

[3] Anyonization of bosons, S. Dhar et al., Nature 642, 53 (2025).

[4] Realization of fractional Fermi seas, Yi Zeng et al, manuscript in preparation.