As the absolute zero of temperature is approached, quantum mechanics confounds our expectation that all motion should come to a halt. In classical physics, the atoms in a solid are held rigidly in place by their mutual interaction at zero temperature. Heisenberg's uncertainty principle tells us that such absolute localization is impossible, and the positions of the atoms have quantum fluctuations.

In many solids these fluctuations have little effect, but if we deal with very light atoms or the electrons that are free to move inside a metal, for example, quantum effects are so strong that the particles never freeze. The result is a quantum liquid, a catch-all term for a range of systems whose physical properties defy classical expectations. These include the normal and superconducting states of electrons in ordinary metals, as well as the superfluid phases of liquid Helium.

The study of this quantum face of matter, revealed at low temperatures, has become one of the most vibrant and diverse areas of physical science. In the last decade, atomic physicists have made extraordinary experimental advances in the creation of quantum degenerate gases of bosonic and fermionic atoms. Cooled to billionths of a degree above absolute zero, these systems herald a new era in the study of quantum liquids. The majority of my present research efforts are a response to this remarkable progress. My recent work has explored the phase diagram of polarized Fermi condensates, and dynamical phenomena in magnetic Bose gases.

If you'd like to discuss possible research projects with me please drop me an email, or just come by my office.