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Faculty Spotlight

James Thompson:听Associate Professor Adjoint of Physics; Fellow, JILA; Fellow, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Since moving to JILA and the Department of Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder in 2006, Thompson's work has focused on studying how to exploit collective and quantum effects to advance precision metrology with cold atoms, and includes the demonstration of entangled spin-squeezed states and studies of superradiant lasers.

Prior to joining CU Boulder, Thompson spent three years in the MIT laboratory of Vladan Vuletic at the MIT/Harvard Center for Ultracold Atoms for his postdoctoral work, where he developed atomic quantum memories and entangled photon sources using laser-cooled atoms.

Research interests and the Thompson Laboratory

Thompson鈥檚 research focuses on understanding the interface between ultracold atoms and quantum optics鈥攁n understanding he applies to the field of precision measurement. His current work is intended to advance the precise measurements required for atomic clocks and in searches for permanent electric dipole moments in atoms and molecules.

The Thompson Laboratory explores the general theme of breaking quantum limits using collective interactions between laser-cooled atoms and a single mode of an optical cavity. Specifically, the research group has:

• Demonstrated a supperadiant laser that operates quasi-continuously with as few as 0.2 intracavity photons. This work challenges notions of what a laser is, and might lead to the narrowest lasers ever developed with coherence lengths stretching from the Earth to the sun.听听
• Broken the Standard Quantum Limit on phase estimation by generating a spin-squeezed state of many atoms. This work explores how to generate entanglement using long range interactions, and may lead to improved quantum sensors and tests of fundamental physics.听听

Education

Thompson earned his undergraduate and master鈥檚 degrees in physics from Florida State University, and his doctorate in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.听

Quotable and notable

In parallel with the quantum wizardry that James orchestrates听in his labs, he is also an outstanding communicator. In a recent presentation for a large local company, James, along with Ana Maria Rey, Juliet Gopinath听and Dana听Anderson gave a sparkling overview of campus research in quantum information science and technology. "As I was previewing their presentation slides,鈥� said Steve ONeil, executive director of CUbit, 鈥淚 found myself continually marveling at the conceptual clarity of the material and at听the vivid storytelling through images both metaphoric and representational.鈥澨�

After his nomination by the APS Topical Precision Measurements & Fundamental Constants, Thompson was named a 2018 Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS) for his听development of precision measurement techniques, in particular for atomic mass and for measurements with atomic ensembles beyond the standard quantum limit.听

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