Academic Research

The most advanced optical quantum clocks based on trapped ions are attaining a relative frequency accuracy of 1e-18 and thus facilitate sensitive tests of fundamental theories of physics and searches for new, unknown physics. Deviations from known physics (like the Standard Model of Particle Physics) might show up as a time variation of fundamental constants (like the fine-structure constant or the electron-proton mass ratio), so a precise measurement of the transition frequencies in ions (and other particles) could point to temporal or spatial variations of these constants. In this context, a variation of the fine-structure constant is particularly interesting since it can be linked to models of ultra-light dark matter.

The research group of Prof. Cigdem Issever sets up  a novel highly charged ion (HCI) clock that will utilize an HCI species with a high susceptibility to a variation of the fine-structure constant. The generated HCI is stored in a linear Paul trap and cooled and interrogated with the help of lasers and suitable control schemes (like quantum logic spectroscopy). Any time dependence of the frequency of the HCI’s clock transition is probed by a comparison with remote clocks for which no (or a different) variation of the fine-structure constant is expected. In parallel to this experimental work, the group studies, with the help of Monte Carlo simulations, how ultra-light dark matter can be detected or constrained by an entire network of optical atomic clocks.

The implementation of the Highly Charged Ion clock [https://quantum-zeuthen.desy.de/QuantumSensing.html] comprises a wide range of experimental tasks that have to be accomplished, among them:

We seek individuals with an interest in experimental science and quantum/fundamental physics who enjoy working in an international team.