{"652426":{"#nid":"652426","#data":{"type":"news","title":"5 Questions with the New IMat Advisory Team | Quantum Materials","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E1. What is your field of expertise\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003Cstrong\u003Eand at what point in your life did you first become interested in this area?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMy expertise is in the quantum physics of neutral atoms.\u0026nbsp; Traditionally most research in this field has been done within the confines of a laboratory, with experiments done on tables that are filled with equipment such as lasers, optics and evacuated chambers, and all connected up with tons of electrical cables.\u0026nbsp; About 10 years ago I began to wonder how to turn such bespoke, one-of-a-kind experiments into highly reproducible devices that can be carried around by a person (and eventually fit into a cellphone).\u0026nbsp; The potential applications of this are enormous--atoms are incredibly precise sensors that could revolutionize timing and navigation by eliminating our dependence on GPS.\u0026nbsp; They could also be the paramount platform for building the next generation of quantum information devices that can transform the world of computing and information.\u0026nbsp; I\u0026rsquo;m super excited to harness atoms for real-world applications!\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2. What questions or challenges sparked your current materials research? \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EI realized in my journey that materials are the key to making new things happen in this field.\u0026nbsp; For instance, a lot of what I do currently revolves around silicon, which is not a traditional material used in atomic physics or for bulk optics.\u0026nbsp; If we don\u0026rsquo;t explore new materials and materials processing methods we will miss out on large opportunities to solve the problems in quantum device development.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E3. Why is your theme area important to the development of Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s Materials research strategy? \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen I first started as an Initiative Lead in IMat, I was struck by how close the worlds of materials science and physics are.\u0026nbsp; Many of the faculty come from a Physics background and appreciate the quantum way of thinking.\u0026nbsp; Although we are separated into two Colleges at Tech, there is so much overlap in the way we think that it\u0026rsquo;s clear we need to collaborate more.\u0026nbsp; In addition, I believe quantum computing, sensing and information is a huge opportunity for us at IMat and at GT more generally because a) there is a lot of federal and commercial funding in this area currently, and b) it leverages several of our key strengths.\u0026nbsp; Materials fabrication and characterization is one of the key calling cards that can define Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s competitive advantage in applying for Center grants and for large-scale team formation.\u0026nbsp; It is very much within the mission of IMat, I feel, as an interdisciplinary Institute.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E4. What are the broader global and social benefits of the research you and your team conduct?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EQuantum technologies offer the prospect of highly secure communications, which could have a profound influence on industries such as banking, for example.\u0026nbsp; They also might be able to solve ultra-hard problems that current computers cannot tackle, for example, discovering the structure and function of complex molecules, which would enable drug discovery.\u0026nbsp; Quantum computers might even illuminate some of humanity\u0026rsquo;s greatest mysteries about the cosmos and physical law.\u0026nbsp; At a more personal level, I would be thrilled if quantum ideas became commonplace, i.e. to teach ideas such as superposition and entanglement in elementary schools.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E5. What are your plans on engaging a wider GT faculty pool with IMat research?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EI am learning more and more about what people do in IMat, and I\u0026rsquo;m excited by it, as I feel new doors have opened up.\u0026nbsp; I\u0026rsquo;m also hoping to serve as a bridge between IMat and Physics, to enable new collaborations.\u0026nbsp; One-on-one discussions are a key part of moving that process forward, and I\u0026rsquo;m confident that we will develop new synergies in this area.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Featuring Chandra Raman, Professor in the School of Physics"}],"field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Featuring Chandra Raman, Professor in the School of Physics"}],"uid":"27863","created_gmt":"2021-11-03 19:54:57","changed_gmt":"2021-11-03 19:55:28","author":"Christa Ernst","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-11-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2021-11-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"652423":{"id":"652423","type":"image","title":"Chandra Raman with a Student in his Research Lab","body":null,"created":"1635968189","gmt_created":"2021-11-03 19:36:29","changed":"1635968189","gmt_changed":"2021-11-03 19:36:29","alt":"Chandra Raman with a Student in the Raman Lab","file":{"fid":"247523","name":"Raman Lab2 for Interview IMat.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Raman%20Lab2%20for%20Interview%20IMat.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Raman%20Lab2%20for%20Interview%20IMat.png","mime":"image\/png","size":3335859,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Raman%20Lab2%20for%20Interview%20IMat.png?itok=TRo0nzsh"}}},"media_ids":["652423"],"groups":[{"id":"217141","name":"Georgia Tech Materials Institute"},{"id":"197261","name":"Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"186870","name":"go-imat"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"168235","name":"quantum materials"},{"id":"189265","name":"quatum computing"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39451","name":"Electronics and Nanotechnology"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39471","name":"Materials"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":["christa.ernst@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}