Quantum Technology

	Avian Compass - Biochemical Magnetometers We have recently done theoretical work on radical-ion-pair reactions, which occur in photosynthesis and the avian magnetic compass, the biochemical mechanism understood to underlie the ability of migratory birds to navigate in earth's field. It turns out that radical-ion-pair reactions are biochemical magnetometers exhibiting very similar quantum effects with atomic magnetometers and a host of quantum phenomena familiar from quantum information science.
	Precision Measurements with Atomic Vapors We have developed an atomic magnetometer device using thermal alkali vapors in glass cells as the magnetic field sensing element. We are interested in understanding classical as well as quantum noise sources affecting the sensitivity of the magnetometer. We have experimentally investigated quantum spin-fluctuations of thermal rubidium vapors, also called spin noise, and used it to acquire physical information of the atomic system, establishing a quantum version of the fluctuation-dissipation theorem as applied in spin coherence. We are currently expanding spin noise studies in more complicated atomic systems.

Avian Compass - Biochemical Magnetometers

We have recently done theoretical work on radical-ion-pair reactions, which occur in photosynthesis and the avian magnetic compass, the biochemical mechanism understood to underlie the ability of migratory birds to navigate in earth's field. It turns out that radical-ion-pair reactions are biochemical magnetometers exhibiting very similar quantum effects with atomic magnetometers and a host of quantum phenomena familiar from quantum information science.

Precision Measurements with Atomic Vapors

We have developed an atomic magnetometer device using thermal alkali vapors in glass cells as the magnetic field sensing element. We are interested in understanding classical as well as quantum noise sources affecting the sensitivity of the magnetometer. We have experimentally investigated quantum spin-fluctuations of thermal rubidium vapors, also called spin noise, and used it to acquire physical information of the atomic system, establishing a quantum version of the fluctuation-dissipation theorem as applied in spin coherence. We are currently expanding spin noise studies in more complicated atomic systems.