Seminar: Matteo Buzzegoli e Giulia Del Pace

9:30      Matteo Buzzegoli “Exploring the Quark-Gluon Plasma through Spin Polarization”
10:30   Giulia Del Pace “Quantum simulation and atomtronics with ultracold atomic Fermi gases”

West University of Timișoara – Department of Physics

Exploring the Quark-Gluon Plasma through Spin Polarization

Relativistic heavy-ion collisions allow us to study the quark-gluon plasma (QGP), a state of nuclear matter where quarks and gluons are no longer confined within protons and neutrons. The properties of the QGP and the phase diagram of QCD, that is of strong nuclear interactions, are still not fully understood. However, the discovery that we can measure the spin polarization of particles emitted from the plasma has opened new ways to explore this unique state of matter.

In the first part of this talk, I will provide a review of spin polarization in heavy-ion collisions, covering the initial discovery, recent advancements, and the key open questions in the field. I will also discuss future directions for this research.

In the second part, I will outline my proposed research project at the Physics Department, which aims to build on these recent findings and contribute to our understanding of the QGP.

Università di Firenze – Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia

Quantum simulation and atomtronics with ultracold atomic Fermi gases

Ultracold atoms and quantum gases are one of the most powerful and well-established quantum simulators, where Hamiltonians of different systems can be engineered with a high level of precision. State-of-the-art control over the interparticle interactions, the geometry and the possible presence of disorder makes them also an excellent platform for modern quantum technologies.

In this seminar, I will present my research activity on quantum simulation with ultracold atomic Fermi gases and some applications in atomtronics circuits. By sculpting the potential landscape with a high spatial resolution, various architectures can be explored, from Josephson junctions to ring circuits, and the potential can be dynamically tuned to introduce controlled excitations like phonons or vortices. Furthermore, by coupling the atomic sample with a high-finesse optical cavity, long-range interactions coupling single atoms or atoms with fermionic pairs can give access to novel exhotic states of matter. Finally, I will also briefly illustrate the experimental project to realize atomic flux qubit with ultracold Fermi gases.