Kolkowitz Lab

Strontium-88 trapped in a magneto-optical-trap in a UHV chamber in the Kolkowitz lab at ~1/1000th of a degree above absolute zero.

Strontium in its solid form.

Confocal microscopy of a diamond in an engagement ring.

Atomic-scale nitrogen vacancy defect centers in a diamond sample, imaged using confocal microscopy.

Facets of a diamond.

532 nm laser and optics for the Kolkowitz group confocal microscope.

Postdoc Dr. Xin Zheng, looking through the strontium clock science chamber.

594 nm laser and optics for the Kolkowitz group confocal microscope.

637 nm laser and optics for the Kolkowitz group confocal microscope.

Optics for a strontium magneto-optical-trap. These optics are part of the Kolkowitz group strontium optical clock.

Latest Lab News

Welcome to the Kolkowitz Lab! Our lab focuses on metrology, tests of fundamental physics, and nanoscale sensing using quantum systems.

In particular, we are building some of the most precise clocks in the world out of ultracold strontium atoms trapped in optical lattices. We are investigating ways to make these “optical lattice clocks” even more precise and accurate. We are also developing novel applications of these amazing instruments, including new tests of relativity, space-based gravitational wave detectors, and searches for dark matter and other physics beyond the Standard Model.

We are also researching new sensing techniques using single atom-scale defects trapped inside of diamonds. We are developing new protocols using spatial and temporal correlations between these defects to probe correlated dynamics in strongly interacting condensed matter systems. We are also investigating applications for new and under-explored defects in diamond and 2D materials.

The group wiki can be found here: https://wiki.physics.wisc.edu/KolkowitzLab. The front page is accessible to everyone, but the content is only accessible to group members with an account.