Hybrid 2D surface trap for quantum simulation

We demonstrate a novel optical trapping scheme for ultracold atoms. Using a combination of evanescent wave, standing wave, and magnetic potentials we create a deeply 2D Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) at a few microns from a glass surface. Using techniques such as broadband "white" light to create evanescent and standing waves, we realize a smooth potential with a trap frequency aspect ratio of 300:1:1 and long lifetimes. This makes the setup suitable for many-body quantum simulations and applications such as high precision measurements close to surfaces.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Single-particle-sensitive imaging of freely propagating ultracold atoms

We present a novel imaging system for ultracold quantum gases in expansion. After release from a confining potential, atoms fall through a sheet of resonant excitation laser light and the emitted fluorescence photons are imaged onto an amplified CCD camera using a high numerical aperture optical system. The imaging system reaches an extraordinary dynamic range, not attainable with conventional absorption imaging. We demonstrate single-atom detection for dilute atomic clouds with high efficiency where at the same time dense Bose-Einstein condensates can be imaged without saturation or distortion. The spatial resolution can reach the sampling limit as given by the 8 \mu m pixel size in object space. Pulsed operation of the detector allows for slice images, a first step toward a 3D tomography of the measured object. The scheme can easily be implemented for any atomic species and all optical components are situated outside the vacuum system. As a first application we perform thermometry on rubidium Bose-Einstein condensates created on an atom chip.Comment: 24 pages, 10 figures. v2: as publishe

Accurate screened exchange band structures for transition metal monoxides MnO, FeO, CoO and NiO

We report calculations of the band structures and density of states of the four transition metal monoxides MnO, FeO, CoO and NiO using the hybrid density functional sX-LDA. Late transition metal oxides are prototypical examples of strongly correlated materials, which pose challenges for electronic structure methods. We compare our results with available experimental data and show that our calculations yield accurate predictions for the fundamental band gaps and valence bands of FeO, CoO and NiO. For MnO, the band gaps are underestimated, suggesting additional many-body effects that are not captured by our screened hybrid functional approach.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, 3 table

Publishing and sharing multi-dimensional image data with OMERO

Imaging data are used in the life and biomedical sciences to measure the molecular and structural composition and dynamics of cells, tissues, and organisms. Datasets range in size from megabytes to terabytes and usually contain a combination of binary pixel data and metadata that describe the acquisition process and any derived results. The OMERO image data management platform allows users to securely share image datasets according to specific permissions levels: data can be held privately, shared with a set of colleagues, or made available via a public URL. Users control access by assigning data to specific Groups with defined membership and access rights. OMERO’s Permission system supports simple data sharing in a lab, collaborative data analysis, and even teaching environments. OMERO software is open source and released by the OME Consortium at www.openmicroscopy.org

Digital Literacy and young children: towards better understandings of the benefits and challenges of digital technologies in homes and early years settings. : Policy briefing of DigiLitEY COST Action IS1410 and the Digital Childhoods SIG of the European Early Childhood Research Association.

Non peer reviewe

Repulsive polarons in two-dimensional Fermi gases

We consider a single spin-down impurity atom interacting via an attractive, short-range potential with a spin-up Fermi sea in two dimensions (2D). Similarly to 3D, we show how the impurity can form a metastable state (the "repulsive polaron") with energy greater than that of the non-interacting impurity. Moreover, we find that the repulsive polaron can acquire a finite momentum for sufficiently weak attractive interactions. Even though the energy of the repulsive polaron can become sizeable, we argue that saturated ferromagnetism is unfavorable in 2D because of the polaron's finite lifetime and small quasiparticle weight.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure