Maria Luisa Chiofalo- Atomic Quantum Technologies for Fundamental Physics

Physics is living an era of unprecedented cross-fertilization among diverse areas of science. In this colloquium, I will first introduce the manifold impact that state-of-the-art ultracold-atomic platforms can have in unveiling foundational aspects of quantum mechanics and general relativity, cosmology and astrophysics. Along this journey, I will take the perspective of three main approaches with potentially remarkable transformative effects, i.e., designing non-classical states of matter for quantum metrology purposes, creating quantum analogues, and engineering quantum simulators.

In the second part of the colloquium, I will briefly present from my research one specific example for each approach, respectively: many-body entangled states for atomic interferometry, analogues of gravitational waves, and quantum time explorations. 

Beyond specific contents, I also wish to convey the message that atomic quantum technologies are opening a new scientific era of highly cross-disciplinary research and extended interplay between theoretical and experimental thinking, in fact bringing quantum many-body and AMO physics at center stage in frontier’s science. At same time, while their progress will have capillary impact on society, a responsible research and innovation approach to quantum technologies becomes mandatory.