Research Areas - (8) Laser-Cooled Polar Molecule Arrays for Quantum Sensing

Full path: Physics > AMO Physics > Laser-Cooled Polar Molecule Arrays for Quantum Sensing

Department(s)/lab(s): Physics / LKB (Atom Interferometry at SYRTE-affiliated) | Atom Interferometry and Inertial Sensors (LKB) @ ENS Paris
Summary:

The LKB atom interferometry group (also at SYRTE, Observatoire de Paris) develops cold atom inertial sensors including the world's best gyroscopes and gravimeters. Key research (Geiger, Landragin et al.): (1) interleaved cold atom gyroscope with 3.75 Hz sampling and 800ms interrogation (record sensitivity); (2) cold atom gradiometer for gravity gradient mapping; (3) atom chip-based compact sources for inertial navigation; (4) quantum optimal control for robust matter-wave sensing. QAFCA project (PEPR Quantique) on quantum sensors for geoscience and navigation. Note: The main PI is Remi Geiger (CNRS) / Arnaud Landragin, both at SYRTE/Observatoire de Paris (PSL), but LKB atom interferometry team is at ENS site.

Department(s)/lab(s): Physics | Cheuk Lab @ Princeton
Summary:

Cheuk laser-cools and traps individual laser-coolable molecules (e.g. CaF) in optical tweezer arrays, achieving high-fidelity non-destructive imaging, Raman sideband cooling, and on-demand entanglement of molecular qubits, with explicit applications to quantum simulation, quantum information processing, and quantum-enhanced sensing/precision measurement. The rich internal structure of molecules gives access to new sensing modalities (e.g. searches for new physics) that complement atom-based quantum sensors.

Department(s)/lab(s): Physics | Doyle Group @ Harvard
Summary:

Doyle's group laser-cools and traps polyatomic and diatomic molecules (including CaF and YbOH) using cryogenic buffer-gas sources, applying them to precision tests of fundamental physics such as the electron electric dipole moment (ACME-style eEDM measurement) and to molecule-based quantum information. This precision-measurement approach to fundamental-symmetry tests is a borderline but included case under the quantum-sensing umbrella, given its shared cold-molecule-platform lineage with atomic/vapor sensing and inertial-sensing work.

Department(s)/lab(s): Physics / LKB-affiliated; SYRTE (Observatoire de Paris / PSL) | Atom Interferometry and Inertial Sensors (SYRTE/LKB) @ ENS Paris
Summary:

Rรฉmi Geiger (CNRS DR, SYRTE/Observatoire de Paris; IUF 2020) leads atom interferometry for inertial sensing. Research: (1) interleaved cold-atom gyroscope โ€” world record 3.75 Hz sampling rate with 801ms interrogation time; (2) EQUIP-G Horizon Europe project for quantum gravimeter network deployment across Europe (2025); (3) ESA ODIN gyroscope for X-ray space mission; (4) entangled-atom tests of Einstein equivalence principle. Key figure in precision cold-atom inertial sensors. Note: formally at SYRTE (PSL/Obs. Paris), entered under ENS (same PSL network).

Department(s)/lab(s): Physics โ€“ QOLS / Centre for Cold Matter | Centre for Cold Matter โ€“ eEDM / Precision Molecular Sensing @ Imperial
Summary:

Lim is an Advanced Research Fellow jointly responsible for the ultracold eEDM experiment at Imperial. He contributed to demonstrating sub-Doppler laser cooling of YbF to 100 ฮผK (PRL 2018), the first demonstration of laser cooling of a heavy polar molecule to ultracold temperatures. He now leads development of the lattice eEDM experiment, developing techniques for loading laser-cooled YbF into a 3D optical lattice for precision eEDM measurements with coherence times far exceeding those of the beam experiment.

Department(s)/lab(s): Physics | 5th Institute of Physics (Pfau Group) @ Stuttgart
Summary:

Pfau's institute spans dipolar quantum gases (first Dy BEC, supersolids), interacting Rydberg atoms for simulation/computing, Rydberg electrometry with thermal atomic vapours and integrated atomic photonics, and laser cooling of molecules. Rydberg vapour electrometry is a leading electric-field quantum sensor. In the broader landscape of NV-centre ensemble quantum sensing (DEER, nano-NMR, T1 relaxometry) operating near pT/sqrt(Hz) sensitivity, this work complements spin sensing with atom-based electric-field metrology.

Department(s)/lab(s): Physics โ€“ QOLS / Centre for Cold Matter | Centre for Cold Matter โ€“ eEDM / Precision Molecular Sensing @ Imperial
Summary:

Tarbutt co-leads the Imperial eEDM experiment using YbF molecules and runs an independent molecular array quantum computing/sensing programme. Two parallel eEDM experiments: (1) Ultracold YbF beam โ€” 2D transverse laser cooling producing 200 ฮผK, 2ร—10^5 molecules/shot, eEDM sensitivity of 1.8ร—10^โˆ’28 eยทcm/day (near shot-noise limit); (2) YbF 3D optical lattice โ€” aiming for 10^โˆ’30 eยทcm/year, requires laser cooling to ฮผK and loading into 3D optical lattice, using novel all-optical spin polarisation and analysis. Also leads UKRI project on testing fundamental physics using arrays of ultracold molecules (CaF in optical tweezers for two-qubit molecular gates). These experiments probe CP-violation and BSM physics at PeV energy scales through precision molecular spectroscopy.

Department(s)/lab(s): Physics โ€“ QOLS / Centre for Cold Matter | Centre for Cold Matter โ€“ Ultracold Molecular Spectroscopy (Truppe) @ Imperial
Summary:

Truppe is an Associate Professor at the Centre for Cold Matter, specialising in laser cooling of atoms and diatomic molecules using deep-UV lasers. His current focus is aluminium monofluoride (AlF) and magnesium fluoride (MgF): AlF can be produced in a bright cryogenic buffer-gas beam and rapidly optically cycled on the Aยนฮ โ†”Xยนฮฃโบ transition, making it a candidate for high-density laser trapping; MgF is characterised for its Aยฒฮ โ†”Xยฒฮฃโบ hyperfine structure, relevant to laser cooling. These molecules open routes to ultracold chemistry studies, precision spectroscopy, and quantum simulation. Truppe returned to Imperial as faculty after a period at the Fritz Haber Institute (ERC Starting Grant, 'CoMoFun', cold molecules for fundamental physics).