Abstract

For most of the 20th century, atomic physicists used light to probe atoms. Today, scientists use light to manipulate particles with unprecedented control, routinely cooling atoms to a few billionths of a degree above absolute zero. This ability is vital for developing atomic clocks, quantum computing and the use of ultracold quantum gases to study many-body physics. Now, we report that we can use light to modify the interactions between atoms in a new way.

© 2012 Optical Society of America