Principal Investigator

Greg Lafyatis

Ph.D., Harvard University, 1982

Greg Lafyatis is an Associate Professor in the Ohio State Physics Department. His interests cover a broad range of topics in Atomic, Molecular, and Optical physics. His work includes experiments in both neutral and ion trapping, spectroscopy of molecular hydrogen, studies of dressed states, and high efficiency photon counting using avalanche photodiodes. More recently his interests have focused on various atom-surface studies: using atoms to diagnose superconductor vortex lattices and atom-surface van der Waals/Casmir forces. His present research focus is on the physics of atoms above optical waveguides and using these systems in quantum computing architectures.

Graduate Students

Reni Ayachitula

B.S. Physics, University of Maryland, 2000
M.S. Physics, Ohio State University, 2004

Reni is a graduate student currently working with Kat on realizing the 2D optical lattice on a chip. In doing this she has developed the waveguides that serve as the chip. She is also characterizing the polarization of the lattice traps to study substate dependent trapping.

Andrei Modoran

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Andrei is currently too busy doing science and does not have time to write stuff for the webpage. At least that was his last excuse. Hopefully he will be able to update this section soon.

Undergraduate Student

Michael Chmutov

Michael is a sophomore physics and mathematics major. Since he has recently joined the group, his primary project is understanding of what is going on. Currently he is also working on several small projects around the lab, such as repairing one of the laser modules and synchronizing the camera with the magnetic trap controller. He also attempts to manage the group computers stuff.

Former Students

Kat Christandl

Vordiplom, Bonn University, 1998
M.S., The Ohio State University, 2000
Ph.D., The Ohio State University, 2005

Kat is currently a visiting professor at Kenyon College. She has been working on experimentally realizing a 2D optical lattice on a chip. According to our modeling, these lattices are suitable to serve as a quantum memory for a neutral atom quantum computer. Previous projects include: a 2D+ MOT and a high resolution 2D atom detector for investigating atom-surface interactions; development of a compact grating-stabilized tunable diode laser system for use in a spectroscopy experiment exploiting the frequency comb of a mode-locked Ti:Sapphire laser.