Cooling and entangling ultracold atoms in optical lattices

Abstract

Lowering the entropy Atoms loaded in an optical lattice can convincingly mimic the behavior of electrons in solids. However, reaching very low temperatures, where the most interesting quantum phases are expected to occur, is tricky. Yang et al. introduced a clever experimental technique to reduce the entropy of their sample. They created an array consisting of alternating rows of sample atoms and reservoirs. The entropy was transferred from the sample atoms to the adjacent reservoirs, which were then removed. The resulting low-entropy system can be used as a basis for quantum simulation and information. Science , this issue p. 550