Swinburne University of Technology Melbourne, Australia Centre for Atom Optics and Ultrafast Spectroscopy Research Report 2001 CONTENTS PREFACE 3 CONTACT INFORMATION 4 ATOM OPTICS 5 Magnetic Optical Elements for Ultracold Atoms 5 Integrated Atom Optics 6 Ultracold Molecules 7 Light Propagation in Steeply Dispersive Atomic Media 7 ULTRAFAST LASER SPECTROSCOPY 8 Femtosecond Photon Echoes 8 – Biological Molecules 8 – Spectrally Resolved Photon Echoes 9 – Semiconductor Quantum Dots 9 Femtosecond Ramsey Interferometry 10 Femtosecond Laser Ablation 10 – Micromachining of Polymers 11 – Micromachining of Semiconductor Gallium Nitride Films 11 1 – Femtodentistry 11 QUANTUM INFORMATION 12 Decoherence in Quantum Computation 12 Quantum Adiabatic Computation 12 Quantum Measurement 12 PUBLICATIONS 13 CONFERENCES 15 SEMINARS 17 MEDIA PRESENTATIONS 17 COMPETITIVE GRANTS 18 COLLABORATIONS 18 VISITING POSITIONS, HONOURS AND AWARDS 19 PREFACE The Swinburne Centre for Ultrafast Laser Spectroscopy molecule, carbonmonoxy myoglobin. We have also applied (SCULS) was opened on 26 February 1999 by Professor femtosecond Ramsey interference techniques to ‘observe’ Ahmed Zewail, 1999 Chemistry Nobel Laureate, as part of the full cycle of an optical transition in rubidium as it evolves the new Swinburne Optics and Laser Laboratory (SOLL) in time with a period of about 2 femtoseconds. In Quantum complex. The Centre, which is funded by a Swinburne Information, Tien Kieu has proposed a quantum computation Strategic Initiative Grant, initially comprised a state-of-the-art ‘algorithm’ for one of the insoluble problems of mathematics, Femtosecond Laser Facility housed in a new purpose-built the Hilbert’s tenth problem, which is ultimately linked to the laboratory and two personnel, Martin Lowe and myself, both halting problem for Turing machines. A number of papers seconded on a part-time basis from CSIRO. Later that year resulting from this work are currently attracting world-wide we were joined by PhD student Craig Lincoln, Dr Jeremy attention. Bolger from Redstone Australia Mining and Dr Wayne Rowlands from Yale University. Details of the research activities of CAOUS are presented in subsequent sections. It is rewarding to see a steady stream In February 2001 the Atom Optics Group at CSIRO, of publications already flowing from our research and the comprising Dr Russell McLean, Dr Andrei Sidorov, David work being reported at the major international conferences. Gough and myself, moved to Swinburne University to join the At the recent Australasian Conference on Optics, Lasers and SCULS group, to form the Centre for Atom Optics and Spectroscopy in Brisbane, the group contributed six oral and Ultrafast Spectroscopy (CAOUS). We are most grateful to five poster presentations. In 2003 we will be co-hosting the Swinburne University for start-up funding to establish the 16th International Conference on Laser Spectroscopy, which new Atom Optics laboratory and to CSIRO for allowing us to is the premier forum for the announcement of new world- bring the laser and optics equipment with us. In 2001 we wide developments in laser spectroscopy and related fields. were also joined by Dr Tien Kieu from CSIRO to initiate research in quantum information, Dr Lap Van Dao from the In the 2002 round of ARC grants, CAOUS was successful in University of NSW to work on ultrafast spectroscopy, and two securing two Discovery Grants, a Linkage Infrastructure new PhD students, Heath Kitson and Falk Scharnberg. We Grant (with the University of WA and Macquarie University), 3 were fortunate to also gain the part-time services of two and a Research Development Grant. We were also awarded a adjunct professors, Professor Alan Head from CSIRO and $1.98M Systemic Infrastructure Initiative grant (with the Professor Geoffrey Opat from the University of Melbourne. Swinburne CIAO, CMP and IRIS groups and RMIT University) In 2002 we welcomed two new researchers, Associate from the Federal Government to establish an Integrated Professor Bryan Dalton from the University of Queensland Microfabrication Facility. These grants are in addition to a and Dr Barbara McKinnon from Monash University. Research Infrastructure Equipment and Facilities (RIEF) grant (with the University of Melbourne and the Swinburne CMP) in This Report covers the first three years’ activities of 2001. CAOUS/SCULS, from 1999 to 2001. The primary objective of the Centre is to carry out fundamental and strategic research I wish to take this opportunity to thank the various members in the areas of Atom Optics, Ultrafast Spectroscopy, and of CAOUS for their efforts in getting the new laboratories up Quantum Information. These three areas are among the and running so quickly, and especially Dr Jeremy Bolger for topics listed in the Federal Government’s recently designated spending a year with us helping to establish the priority research area of Photon Science and Technology. In femtosecond laser laboratory. We particularly wish to thank Atom Optics, we are developing high-quality atomic optical the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Iain Wallace, the Pro Vice- elements, including mirrors, beamsplitters, surface Chancellor (Research), Professor Kerry Pratt, and the Head of waveguides and surface microtraps, for manipulating beams the School of Biophysical Sciences and Electrical of ultracold laser-cooled atoms, and we are using laser- Engineering, Professor David Booth, for their continued cooled atoms to generate samples of ultracold molecules. support and encouragement. We have recently observed near-specular reflection of a Shortly before this Report went to press, we were shocked cloud of ultracold rubidium atoms dropped onto magnetic and deeply saddened to learn of the sudden and premature microstructures with periodicities of around a micron. In death of our friend and colleague, Professor Geoffrey Opat Ultrafast Laser Spectroscopy, we are developing AO FAA, collaborator of the Atom Optics group since 1991 femtosecond coherent nonlinear techniques, including and Adjunct Professor of this university since 2001. Geoff stimulated photon echoes, transient grating and Ramsey had a profound influence on the lives, scientific careers and interference techniques, to investigate ultrafast processes in research work of many of us and will be greatly missed. complex molecular systems, including biological molecules, dye molecules and semiconductor quantum dots, on time Peter Hannaford, Director of CAOUS scales down to less than 10-13 s. We have successfully used March, 2002 femtosecond three-pulse photon echo techniques to investigate the photodissociation of the biologically important CONTACT INFORMATION Centre for Atom Optics and Research Associates Ultrafast Spectroscopy (CAOUS) Dr Alexander Akulshin School of Biophysical Sciences and Electrical Engineering (The University of Melbourne) Swinburne University of Technology PO Box 218 Dr Tim Davis Hawthorn Victoria Australia 3122 (CSIRO Manufacturing Science and Technology) Phone +61 (0)3 9214 5164 (Peter Hannaford) Dr Khai Vu Fax +61 (0)3 9214 5840 Dr Margaret Wong Website http://www.swin.edu.au/lasers/caous (School of Engineering and Science, Swinburne University) Staff Undergraduate students Prof Peter Hannaford (Director) Shannon Whitlock [email protected] Ext 5164 Honours student in Optronics and Lasers (2002) A/Prof Bryan Dalton Jack Manning [email protected] Ext 8187 Engineering and Science R&D student (2002) Dr Lap Van Dao Pascal Rouviere [email protected] Ext 4317 Internship student from Paris (to start 2002) Mr David Gough Adam Deller [email protected] Ext 4308 Engineering and Science R&D student (finished 2001) Prof Tien Kieu Christoph Rill [email protected] Ext 8026 Exchange student from Vienna (finished 2001) Mr Martin Lowe 4 Lee Manuele [email protected] Ext 4309 Work experience student (finished 2001) Dr Barbara McKinnon Ivan Blajer [email protected] Ext 8187 Summer vacation student (finished 2001) Prof Russell McLean Christine Aussibal [email protected] Ext 8555 Internship student from Paris (finished 2000) Dr Wayne Rowlands Mara Giovannetti [email protected] Ext 8142 Final Year Chemistry student (finished 2000) Prof Andrei Sidorov Joshua Pearce [email protected] Ext 5848 Engineering and Science R&D student (finished 2000) Dr Jeremy Bolger (finished 2000) Trent Boyce Mr Peter Larkins (finished 2000) Engineering and Science R&D student (finished 1999) PhD students How to find us Heath Kitson The Centre for Atom Optics and Ultrafast Spectroscopy is [email protected] Ext 5680 housed in a modern, purpose-built laboratory complex, the Craig Lincoln Swinburne Optics and Laser Laboratories, on the ground [email protected] Ext 5680 floor of the Applied Sciences building, at Swinburne University’s Hawthorn Campus, 7 kms from the heart of Falk Scharnberg Melbourne (Melways Directory, map 45, grid reference [email protected] Ext 5680 E-10). The entrance to CAOUS is in Serpells Lane, off Burwood Road, and next to Glenferrie Station, which is well Xiaoming Wen (to start 2002) served by trains on the Lilydale, Belgrave and Alamein lines. For parking we advise a nearby multi-storey car park in Adjunct professors Wakefield Street, off Glenferrie Road. Prof Alan Head AO FAA FRS (CSIRO Manufacturing Science and Technology) Prof Geoffrey Opat AO FAA (The University of Melbourne) ATOM OPTICS Atom Optics Laser light may now be used to cool a cloud of atoms to within a few microkelvin of absolute zero, where the atoms behave like waves, with de Broglie wavelengths comparable