Atomic, Molecular, Optical Science

AMOS encompasses the research in
atomic, molecular, and optical science
at the Weizmann Institute of Science.

AMOS Research Areas

AMOS is a center for quantum physics with atomic, molecular, and optical systems, at the Weizmann Institute of Science. The center includes 15 research groups and activities ranging across most contemporary topics in AMO physics - from atto-second pulses and intense lasers, through precision spectroscopy of ultracold atoms, molecules or ions, to quantum information and quantum optics. AMOS members hold faculty appointments in both the Physics and Chemistry Faculties at the Weizmann Institute of Science.

A wide range of interests and scientific excellence contribute to making AMOS one of Israel's leading research centers. AMOS scientists publish annually numerous scientific manuscripts in leading journals.

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News

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Seminars

  • 08
    Apr 2025
    13:15

    Quantum Science with Arrays of Alkaline-Earth Atoms

    Ran Finkelstein

    Large arrays of trapped neutral atoms have emerged over the past few years as a promising platform for quantum information processing, combining inherent scalability with high-fidelity control and site-resolved readout. In this talk, I will discuss my recent work with arrays of alkaline-earth atoms. These divalent atoms offer unique properties stemming largely from their long-lived metastable states, which form the basis of the optical atomic clock.
    First, I will describe the design of a universal quantum processor based on optical clock qubits and its application in quantum metrology. I will focus on the recent demonstration of record-fidelity entangling gates and on the preparation of a cascade of different GHZ states. Second, I will discuss how to use the narrow clock transition to measure and remove thermal excitations of atoms in tweezers (a technique known as erasure conversion) which we utilize to generate hyperentangled states of motion and spin and to perform repeated ancilla-based readout. Third, I will discuss another modality of analog quantum simulation with Rydberg atom arrays.
    Finally, I will briefly share some of the plans for the new apparatus we are setting up at Tel Aviv University with trapped Ytterbium atoms for quantum optics and quantum simulation.

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  • 22
    Apr 2025
    13:15

    Issues and challenges of laser-plasma accelerators

    Victor Malka

    The validation of theoretical models describing fundamental interactions requires increasingly large and high-performance facilities, often pushing the limits of current technological capabilities and raising environmental and economic challenges. To overcome these limitations, a conceptual breakthrough is essential.

    Laser-plasma accelerators, which now hold a key position in the scientific landscape, already address numerous challenges, both in fundamental research (FEL, SF-QED) and in societal applications (security, radiotherapy). However, it remains crucial to explore their potential in the field of high-energy physics.

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Publications

  • Quantum control of ion-atom collisions beyond the ultracold regime

    Walewski M. Z., Frye M. D., Katz O., Pinkas M., Ozeri R. & Tomza M. (2025) Science Advances.
    Tunable scattering resonances are crucial for controlling atomic and molecular systems. However, their use has so far been limited to ultracold temperatures. These conditions remain hard to achieve for most hybrid trapped ion-atom systemsa prospective platform for quantum technologies and fundamental research. Here, we measure inelastic collision probabilities for Sr<sup>+</sup> + Rb and use them to calibrate a comprehensive theoretical model of ion-atom collisions. Our theoretical results, compared with experimental observations, confirm that quantum interference effects persist to the multiple-partial-wave regime, leading to the pronounced state and mass dependence of the collision rates. Using our model, we go beyond interference and identify a rich spectrum of Feshbach resonances at moderate magnetic fields with the Rb atom in its lower (f = 1) hyperfine state, which persist at temperatures as high as 1 millikelvin. Future observation of these predicted resonances should allow precise control of the short-range dynamics in Sr<sup>+</sup> + Rb collisions under unprecedentedly warm conditions.

  • Quantum control of ion-atom collisions beyond the ultracold regime

    Walewski M. Z., Frye M. D., Katz O., Pinkas M., Ozeri R. & Tomza M. (2025) Science Advances.
    Tunable scattering resonances are crucial for controlling atomic and molecular systems. However, their use has so far been limited to ultracold temperatures. These conditions remain hard to achieve for most hybrid trapped ion-atom systemsa prospective platform for quantum technologies and fundamental research. Here, we measure inelastic collision probabilities for Sr<sup>+</sup> + Rb and use them to calibrate a comprehensive theoretical model of ion-atom collisions. Our theoretical results, compared with experimental observations, confirm that quantum interference effects persist to the multiple-partial-wave regime, leading to the pronounced state and mass dependence of the collision rates. Using our model, we go beyond interference and identify a rich spectrum of Feshbach resonances at moderate magnetic fields with the Rb atom in its lower (f = 1) hyperfine state, which persist at temperatures as high as 1 millikelvin. Future observation of these predicted resonances should allow precise control of the short-range dynamics in Sr<sup>+</sup> + Rb collisions under unprecedentedly warm conditions.