Research Areas - (415) Physics

Full path: Physics

Department(s)/lab(s): Materials Science and Engineering | M. Scott Electron Microscopy Lab @ UCB
Summary:

Scott uses and develops 4D-STEM (scanning nanobeam electron diffraction) and other advanced electron-microscopy modalities, including energy-filtered techniques, to map short-range structural order and local diffraction signatures in quantum and semiconductor materials at the nanoscale.

Department(s)/lab(s): Physics & Astronomy | Scully Group / Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering @ TAMU
Summary:

Scully directs IQSE and pursues foundational quantum optics: quantum coherence effects (lasing without inversion, electromagnetically induced transparency), collective/superradiant emission, quantum-enhanced spectroscopy, and coherent-Raman schemes (FAST CARS) for real-time detection of pathogens and molecular fingerprints. In the broader landscape of NV-centre ensemble quantum sensing (DEER, nano-NMR, T1 relaxometry) operating near pT/sqrt(Hz) sensitivity, this work sits on the fundamental-light side, providing coherence and superradiance concepts that inform quantum-enhanced magnetometry read-out.

Department(s)/lab(s): Applied Physics | Semeghini Lab @ Harvard
Summary:

Semeghini is an experimentalist studying quantum simulation of complex materials using Rydberg-atom tweezer arrays; she joined the SEAS Applied Physics faculty after a postdoctoral appointment in Mikhail Lukin's group. Included as a borderline, not-preferred case: the Rydberg-tweezer platform overlaps with quantum-sensing hardware, though her stated focus is quantum simulation rather than sensing per se.

Department(s)/lab(s): Physics / C2N (Centre de Nanosciences et Nanotechnologies) | Quantum Photonics Group (Senellart Lab, C2N) @ Paris-Saclay
Summary:

Pascale Senellart's group at C2N develops the world's most efficient and bright quantum dot single-photon sources. Research: (1) high-efficiency single-photon emitters based on semiconductor quantum dots in micropillar cavities β€” up to 99% efficiency, >98% photon purity; (2) entangled photon pair sources; (3) photonic integrated circuits for quantum information and sensing. Coordinator of Quantum-Saclay ecosystem; co-founder of Quandela (quantum photonics spinoff). Key for quantum sensing with non-classical light.

Department(s)/lab(s): Electrical and Computer Engineering | Shahriar Research Group @ Northwestern
Summary:

Prof. Shahriar's group uses atomic and optical systems for precision measurement and quantum information. Key directions: (1) White-light cavities β€” using anomalous dispersion media inside optical cavities to create a bandwidth-extended cavity enabling broadband gravitational wave detector sensitivity enhancement beyond current LIGO designs; (2) Superluminal (fast-light) gyroscopes β€” anomalous-dispersion-enhanced ring-laser gyroscopes for measuring the Lense-Thirring frame-dragging effect as a test of general relativity, with >10⁢× sensitivity enhancement over conventional Sagnac gyroscopes; (3) Quantum memories and computers using trapped atomic ensembles (PRISM protocol); (4) Ultra-low-light nonlinear optics with nanofibers and atoms for optical switching and quantum logic; (5) Holographic and polarimetric image processing. Member of LIGO Scientific Collaboration; contributed to GW170817 binary neutron star merger discovery. AT&T Professor of ECE.

Department(s)/lab(s): Particle Physics and Astrophysics | Shutt Group (SuperCDMS/LZ) @ Stanford
Summary:

Shutt co-founded the CDMS/SuperCDMS cryogenic solid-state dark-matter detector program and is a leader of the LZ liquid-xenon experiment, developing ultra-sensitive detectors for direct dark-matter detection at the single-quantum level.

Department(s)/lab(s): Physics and Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences | Siddiqi Quantum Nanoelectronics Laboratory (QNL) @ UCB
Summary:

Siddiqi's Quantum Nanoelectronics Laboratory develops superconducting quantum circuits and near-quantum-limited parametric amplifiers for qubit readout, quantum feedback, and quantum-enhanced sensing, and directs cross-campus quantum information efforts at Berkeley and LBNL.

Department(s)/lab(s): School of Physics | Atomic Fabrication Facility (Simmons) @ UNSW
Summary:

Simmons pioneered atomic-precision fabrication in silicon: hydrogen-resist STM lithography, phosphine dosing and epitaxial silicon overgrowth to place individual dopant atoms with sub-nanometre accuracy, then measure them at millikelvin. The programme has produced single-atom transistors, precision dopant arrays used as analogue quantum simulators, and the largest atom-scale device platform in the world; she also founded Silicon Quantum Computing Pty Ltd. The sensing-relevant capability is the single-electron transistor as an exquisitely sensitive electrometer, capable of resolving individual charge transitions and mapping local electrostatic potential at the atomic scale. Positioned against the established body of NV-ensemble quantum sensing work β€” DEER, nanoscale NMR and T1 relaxometry protocols operating at pT/sqrt(Hz) field sensitivity β€” her SET electrometry is the charge-domain counterpart to magnetic NV sensing at pT/sqrt(Hz): both are single-quantum-object detectors whose performance is limited by back-action and by the noise of the readout chain. Very large group, strongly fabrication-oriented and commercially entangled, which cuts against the stated preference for sensitivity-limited rather than fabrication-limited work.

Department(s)/lab(s): Physics | Simon Lab @ Stanford
Summary:

Simon's lab engineers strong, atom-mediated interactions between photons in optical cavities -- using Rydberg dressing of intracavity atoms -- to synthesize interacting quantum photonic matter and study fundamental nonclassical light phenomena, effectively building tunable many-body systems out of light itself.

Department(s)/lab(s): School of Physics | Quantum Imaging and Sensing Laboratory (Simpson) @ UMelb
Summary:

Simpson runs the experimental quantum imaging and sensing laboratory at Melbourne and is the closest match at this institution to a bio-oriented NV sensing postdoc. Two active threads: (i) widefield NV magnetic and spin-relaxation imaging of living cells and tissue, including magnetic imaging of magnetotactic bacteria, cellular free radicals and paramagnetic ion transport, and quantum-probe imaging of neuronal activity; and (ii) engineering Australia's most sensitive diamond vector magnetometer with RMIT and Phasor Innovation, aimed at navigation, underground/undersea sensing and, explicitly, mapping magnetic signals of the human brain in unshielded environments. That second thread is a direct bid at bioelectromagnetism with a quantum sensor. Positioned against the established body of NV-ensemble quantum sensing work β€” DEER, nanoscale NMR and T1 relaxometry protocols operating at pT/sqrt(Hz) field sensitivity β€” Simpson's work is a continuation of exactly that lineage, pushing ensemble DEER/T1-relaxometry contrast mechanisms out of the physics lab and into cell biology and human-scale magnetoencephalography. Preferred attributes present: bioelectromagnetism, human-subject ambitions, sensitivity-limited (not fabrication-limited) programme. QUBIC investigator; recruits postdocs regularly.