Ultracold Atoms in Optical Lattices: Simulating quantum many-body systems

Quantum computers, though not yet available on the market, will revolutionize the future of information processing. Quantum computers for special purposes like quantum simulators are already within reach. The physics of ultracold atoms, ions and molecules offer unprecedented possibilities of control of quantum many body systems and novel possibilities of applications to quantum information processing and quantum metrology. Particularly fascinating is the possibility of using ultracold atoms in lattices to simulate condensed matter or even high energy physics.

This book provides a complete and comprehensive overview of ultracold lattice gases as quantum simulators. It opens up an interdisciplinary field involving atomic, molecular and optical physics, quantum optics, quantum information, condensed matter and high energy physics. The book includes some introductory chapters on basic concepts and methods, and then focuses on the physics of spinor, dipolar, disordered, and frustrated lattice gases. It reviews in detail the physics of artificial lattice gauge fields with ultracold gases. The last part of the book covers simulators of quantum computers. After a brief course in quantum information theory, the implementations of quantum computation with ultracold gases are discussed, as well as our current understanding of condensed matter from a quantum information perspective.

Maciej Lewenstein, Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avancats (ICREA) and Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques (ICFO), Barcelona, Spain,Anna Sanpera, Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudits Avancats (ICREA) and Departament de Fisica, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain,Veronica Ahufinger, Departament de Fisica, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain

Maciej Lewenstein has been an ICREA professor at the Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques in Castelldefels since 2005 where he leads the quantum optics theory group. In 2007 he won the Humbolt research award, Germany. In 2008 he obtained the Advance Research Grant from the European Community and in 2010 he won the first Harmburger Prize for his contributions in theoretical physics. His interests range from traditional quantum optics through to physics of cold gases and quantum information to physics of ultra intense laser fields.

Anna Sanpera has been an ICREA professor in the newly formed group of Quantum Information and Quantum Phenomena at the Universitat Autonoma of Barcelona, Spain, since 2005. She is currently working on quantum information theory, physics ultra-cold gases and the interface between quantum theory and condensed matter. She is also interested in the connection between quantum mechanics and biology.

Veronica Ahufinger obtained an ICREA researcher position in 2005 and moved to the Universitat Autonoma of Barcelona. Since 2010 she has been a professor at the Universitat Autonoma of Barcelona. She is interested in the interplay between the physics of ultracold atoms, quantum optics and condensed matter.