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.

News

All News

Seminars

Publications

  • Programmable Quantum Simulations on a Trapped-Ion Quantum Computer with a Global Drive

    Shapira Y., Markov J., Akerman N., Stern A. & Ozeri R. (2025) Physical Review Letters.
    Simulation of quantum systems is notoriously challenging for classical computers, while quantum hardware is naturally well-suited for this task. However, the imperfections of contemporary quantum systems pose a considerable challenge in carrying out accurate simulations over long evolution times. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a method for quantum simulations on a small-scale trapped-ion-based quantum simulator. Our method enables quantum simulations of programmable spin-Hamiltonians, using only simple global fields, driving all qubits homogeneously and simultaneously. We measure the evolution of a quantum Ising ring and accurately reconstruct the Hamiltonian parameters, showcasing an accurate and high-fidelity simulation. Our method enables a significant reduction in the required control and depth of quantum simulations, thus generating longer evolution times with higher accuracy.
  • Operating a Multi-Ion Clock with Dynamical Decoupling

    Akerman N. & Ozeri R. (2025) Physical Review Letters.
    We study and characterize a quasicontinuous dynamical decoupling scheme that effectively suppresses dominant frequency shifts in a multi-ion optical clock. Addressing the challenge of inhomogeneous frequency shifts in such systems, our scheme mitigates primary contributors, namely, the electric quadrupole and the linear Zeeman shifts. Based on Sr+88 ions, we implement the scheme in linear chains of up to 7 ions and demonstrate a significant suppression of the shift by more than 3 orders of magnitude, leading to relative frequency inhomogeneity below 7×10-17. Additionally, we evaluate the associated systematic shift arising from the radio-frequency drive used in the QCDD scheme, showing that, in the presented realization, its contribution to the systematic relative frequency uncertainty is below 10-17, with the potential for further improvement. These results provide a promising avenue toward implementing multi-ion clocks exhibiting an order of magnitude or more improvement in stability while maintaining a similar high degree of accuracy to that of single-ion clocks.