Postdoctoral Fellowship: MPS-Ascend: Unveiling Transport and Critical States in Quasicrystalline Optical Lattices and Amplifying Science Engagement Through Digital Storytelling

Cedric Wilson is awarded an NSF Mathematical and Physical Sciences Ascending Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (NSF MPS-Ascend) to conduct a program of research and broader impacts. This fellowship to Dr. Wilson supports the research project entitled “Postdoctoral Fellowship: MPS-Ascend: Unveiling Transport and Critical States in Quasicrystalline Optical Lattices and Amplifying Science Engagement Through Digital Storytelling” under the mentorship of a sponsoring scientist. The host institution for the fellowship is Yale University and the sponsoring scientist is Dr. Charles Brown. Quasicrystaline materials exhibit some, but not all the properties of true crystals. Solid quasicrytaline materials have been observed but it is difficult to manipulate the properties of the samples to fully test our theoretical understanding of these unusual systems. This award supports the construction of an ultracold atom simulator which will allow a much fuller exploration of the properties of systems with quasicrystaline symmetry. In this and other similar quantum simulators, the electrons in a conventional solid are replaced by ultracold atoms and the ions are replaced by an “optical lattice” of interfering laser beams. The parameters of such a lattice are readily adjusted in a way not possible in solid materials. The research team will construct a 10-fold quasi-crystalline optical lattice which will allow a detailed mapping of the simulated quasicrystal’s energy bands. The understanding gained from this project could inform both basic quantum science underlying the properties of quasicrystals, and new technologies based on quantum materials. The PI plans to produce educational videos related to this research. Construction of the quantum simulator will be documented in video, with segments of the construction used as anchors for the educational videos. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.