Antoine Browaeys' group at LCF/IOGS is a world leader in neutral atom quantum simulation using optical tweezer arrays. Research: (1) Rydberg atom tweezer arrays for quantum simulation of strongly correlated many-body systems and quantum sensing; (2) dipole-dipole interactions in Rydberg ensembles; (3) co-founder and key researcher of Pasqal (neutral atom quantum computing company). The group works on scalable neutral atom platforms relevant to quantum sensors and quantum simulation. Open postdoc positions (2026).
Buechler leads quantum many-body theory at ITP III: strongly interacting quantum systems, quantum optics, and the theory of cold atomic and molecular gases -- in particular Rydberg systems, where he has been a central theorist for interaction-engineered tweezer arrays, dressed interactions and photon-photon interactions in Rydberg media. He is the theory counterpart to Pfau's and Wrachtrup's experiments in the same department. Relative to the established NV-ensemble quantum-sensing playbook (DEER, nanoscale NMR, T1 relaxometry at pT/sqrt(Hz) ensemble sensitivity), a theory-first inclusion: the relevant output is the protocol layer -- how to engineer Hamiltonians in interacting spin/Rydberg ensembles so that entanglement or dressing improves sensitivity beyond the standard quantum limit, which is exactly the theory an NV-ensemble sensing programme needs and rarely has in-house.
Assembles optical-tweezer-trapped arrays of ultracold atoms and polar molecules (including NaRb) for quantum information science, quantum simulation, and cluster-state quantum computing, with associated Rydberg-based sensing capabilities.
Goldfarb studies coherent effects in atomic vapours - EIT and slow light, spin-noise spectroscopy of spin-environment interaction, and EIT-based Rydberg-atom radio-frequency field sensing (electrometry) in warm cells. In the broader landscape of NV-centre ensemble quantum sensing (DEER, nano-NMR, T1 relaxometry) operating near pT/sqrt(Hz) sensitivity, this work adds atomic-vapour electrometry and coherence spectroscopy.
Philippe Grangier is a pioneer of quantum optics and quantum information at the Laboratoire Charles Fabry (IOGS/École Polytechnique). Research: (1) foundations of quantum mechanics: single photon experiments, Bell tests, quantum non-demolition measurement; (2) quantum optics and quantum information — continuous variables, entanglement generation, quantum cryptography; (3) Rydberg atom experiments (in collaboration with Browaeys). Coordinator of SIRTEQ network (700+ quantum researchers in Île-de-France). Closely connected to Pasqal spinoff. Key for quantum sensing foundations.
Hogan's group studies atoms and molecules in high Rydberg states for precision measurements and quantum sensing. Research directions: (1) Rydberg atom electric field sensing — Rydberg atoms exhibit enormous electric polarizabilities; Stark-map and EIT-based electrometry with sub-mV/cm sensitivity and GHz-range frequency coverage; (2) Rydberg molecule spectroscopy — long-range Rydberg molecules as probes of intermolecular forces; (3) Stark deceleration and trapping of Rydberg atoms/molecules — producing cold samples for precision spectroscopy and scattering experiments; (4) Circular Rydberg states — extremely long-lived states for quantum information storage and sensing. Collaborates on quantum-enhanced sensing of RF/microwave fields.
Levine builds neutral-atom tweezer-array and superconducting-qubit platforms for quantum computing, quantum error correction, and quantum sensing, aiming to combine the programmability of Rydberg arrays with new approaches to distributed and networked quantum sensing. The group is actively recruiting postdocs.
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.
Romalis develops ultra-sensitive alkali-vapor magnetometers operating in the spin-exchange-relaxation-free (SERF) regime, K-noble-gas nuclear spin co-magnetometers used as gyroscopes and for electron/nuclear EDM and Lorentz-violation searches, and Rydberg-atom microwave electric-field sensors; his group's SERF magnetometers were the first used to detect brain magnetic fields. This continues and extends the historical arc of atomic and NV-ensemble quantum sensing (comparable in spirit to DEER/NMR/T1-relaxometry approaches reaching pT/sqrt(Hz) sensitivities), pushing scalar and vector magnetometry toward the fT/sqrt(Hz) and below regime through spin-squeezing and multi-pass optical cells.