ProfessorMichael Biercuk

The world on the atomic scale is very different from the world around us. The simple principles that govern the behaviour of our classical world - principles elucidated by the likes of Newton and Maxwell - break down and give way to a new set of rules provided by quantum mechanics. To date, quantum mechanics represents our most accurate and widely applicable scientific theory, providing deep insight into the fundamental nature of light and matter.

Quantum mechanics has captured our imagination more than any other physical theory because of the intrinsic strangeness of many of its principles - particles as waves, light as particles, hidden correlations between systems separated by huge distances. These phenomena, however, are not manifested in our daily existence and have largely been inaccessible due to the barrier between the classical and quantum worlds.

A new discipline - Quantum Science - is opening a door between our world and that of the quantum, allowing classical systems access to the most exotic quantum mechanical phenomena. The past two decades have seen an explosion in the number of systems that have been able to provide access to the quantum realm: from superconducting circuits and semiconductor nanostructures, to trapped atoms and single-photon optics.

Quantum coherent devices are real and accessible to scientists today. But building quantum technologies - exploiting the strangest quantum effects - will take a new kind of effort. It will require systems engineering in the quantum regime.

The Quantum Control Laboratory combines theory and experiment to tackle the most challenging problems in the field of quantum physics, and to usher in a new revolution in quantum-enabled technology. The lab provides access to one of he leading quantum technologies worldwide - trapped atomic ions. Using a combination of custom ultra-high-vacuum systems, precision stabilized lasers, high-stability radiofrequency oscillators, and flexible microwave control systems, this laboratory allows detailed measurements of the control, evolution, and interactions of quantum systems.

Michael's research aligns with the Faculty of Science Research Strengths - Fundamental Laws of Nature, Quantum Frontiers.