Quantum Sensors for Fundamental Physics and Society
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Oxford
Department Name: Oxford Physics
Abstract
We propose to harness the immense potential of quantum sensors to conduct experiments in fundamental physics that could lead, for example, to the discovery of dark matter in the UK, and will lead to new applications that can be developed by UK industry for market. The programme we propose lies between STFC and EPSRC science and the strategic areas of Quantum Technology, Computing and Metrology. It will bring together a consortium of scientists from experimental and theoretical particle physics, astrophysics and instrumentation, quantum information scientists and AMO scientists drawn from the STFC and EPSRC communities, and the space community and with NPL and leading international laboratories such as Argonne, Fermilab and SLAC to create new scientific partnerships.
Planned Impact
After this project a consortium will exist which will be fecund soil in which new collaborations and partnerships will flourish realising the potential of quantum sensors to enable new enquiries in fundamental science, and to stimulate the creation of new devices and applications that will be brought to market by UK industry for the betterment of society both in the UK and globally.
Organisations
- University of Oxford, United Kingdom (Lead Research Organisation)
- Fermilab - Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Collaboration)
- Stanford University, United States (Collaboration)
- Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics (Collaboration)
- Washington University in St. Louis (Project Partner)
- National Physical Laboratory NPL, United Kingdom (Project Partner)
- STFC - Laboratories, United Kingdom (Project Partner)
Publications

Abe M
(2021)
Matter-wave Atomic Gradiometer Interferometric Sensor (MAGIS-100)
in Quantum Science and Technology


Alonso Ivan
(2022)
Cold Atoms in Space: Community Workshop Summary and Proposed Road-Map
in arXiv e-prints

Biermann S
(2020)
Unruh and analogue Unruh temperatures for circular motion in 3 + 1 and 2 + 1 dimensions
in Physical Review D

Braden J
(2019)
New Semiclassical Picture of Vacuum Decay.
in Physical review letters

Calmet X
(2021)
Implications of quantum gravity for dark matter
in International Journal of Modern Physics D

Calmet X
(2022)
Quantum Hair from Gravity
in Physical Review Letters

Calmet X
(2021)
Quantum gravitational corrections to the entropy of a Schwarzschild black hole
in Physical Review D

Calmet X
(2021)
Erratum to "An analytical perturbative solution to the Merton Garman model using symmetries"
in Journal of Futures Markets

Calmet X
(2022)
Implications of Quantum Gravity for Dark Matter Searches with Atom Interferometers
in Universe
Description | Articulation of the case for quatum sensing to advance particle physics, leading too creation of the UKRI SPS QTFP programme. |
Exploitation Route | Via the 7 experiments funded by QTFP |
Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education |
Description | Quantum-enhanced interferometry for new physics |
Amount | £375,987 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ST/T006404/1 |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2020 |
End | 04/2024 |
Description | MAGIS100 |
Organisation | Fermilab - Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory |
Country | United States |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | I am the lead UK beyond-the-Standard-Model theorist on the Matter wave Atomic Gradiometer Interferometric Sensor (MAGIS100) experiment at Fermilab. Funded by The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the DOE through the QuantiSED program. |
Collaborator Contribution | They are building the experiment, and also contributing background theory of the detector and the possible sources. |
Impact | Matter-wave Atomic Gradiometer Interferometric Sensor (MAGIS-100) MAGIS-100 Collaboration Published in: Quantum Sci.Technol. 6 (2021) 4, 044003 e-Print: 2104.02835 [physics.atom-ph] DOI: 10.1088/2058-9565/abf719 Report number: FERMILAB-PUB-21-031-AD-DI-FESS-QIS-T Experiments: MAGIS-100 |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | MAGIS100 |
Organisation | Stanford University |
Department | Department of Physics |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I am the lead UK beyond-the-Standard-Model theorist on the Matter wave Atomic Gradiometer Interferometric Sensor (MAGIS100) experiment at Fermilab. Funded by The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the DOE through the QuantiSED program. |
Collaborator Contribution | They are building the experiment, and also contributing background theory of the detector and the possible sources. |
Impact | Matter-wave Atomic Gradiometer Interferometric Sensor (MAGIS-100) MAGIS-100 Collaboration Published in: Quantum Sci.Technol. 6 (2021) 4, 044003 e-Print: 2104.02835 [physics.atom-ph] DOI: 10.1088/2058-9565/abf719 Report number: FERMILAB-PUB-21-031-AD-DI-FESS-QIS-T Experiments: MAGIS-100 |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics |
Organisation | Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics |
Country | Canada |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Theory collaboration. Advisory capacity. |
Collaborator Contribution | Theory collaboration. Distinguished Visiting Research Chair. |
Impact | 1) Cold Atoms in Space: Community Workshop Summary and Proposed Road-Map e-Print: 2201.07789 [astro-ph.IM] 2) AION: An Atom Interferometer Observatory and Network Published in: JCAP 05 (2020) 011 e-Print: 1911.11755 [astro-ph.CO] DOI: 10.1088/1475-7516/2020/05/011 3) Matter-wave Atomic Gradiometer Interferometric Sensor (MAGIS-100) MAGIS-100 Collaboration Published in: Quantum Sci.Technol. 6 (2021) 4, 044003 e-Print: 2104.02835 [physics.atom-ph] DOI: 10.1088/2058-9565/abf719 4) Axiverse Strings John March-Russell(Oxford U., Theor. Phys.), Hannah Tillim(Oxford U., Theor. Phys.) e-Print: 2109.14637 [hep-th] 5) Evaporating primordial black holes, the string axiverse, and hot dark radiation Marco Calzà(Coimbra U.), John March-Russell(Oxford U., Theor. Phys.), João G. Rosa(Coimbra U.) e-Print: 2110.13602 [astro-ph.CO] 6) Reproductive freeze-in of self-interacting dark matter John March-Russell(Oxford U., Theor. Phys.), Hannah Tillim(Oxford U., Theor. Phys.), Stephen M. West(Royal Holloway, U. of London) Published in: Phys.Rev.D 102 (2020) 8, 083018 e-Print: 2007.14688 [astro-ph.CO] DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.102.083018 7) |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Stanford University |
Organisation | Stanford University |
Department | Department of Physics |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Collaborating theorist. Repeated Visiting Professorship. |
Collaborator Contribution | Collaborating theorists. Repeated Visiting Professorship. |
Impact | 1) String Axiverse Asimina Arvanitaki(UC, Berkeley and LBL, Berkeley), Savas Dimopoulos(Stanford U., Phys. Dept.), Sergei Dubovsky(Stanford U., Phys. Dept. and Moscow, INR), Nemanja Kaloper(UC, Davis), John March-Russell(Oxford U., Theor. Phys.) Published in: Phys.Rev.D 81 (2010) 123530 e-Print: 0905.4720 [hep-th] DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.81.123530 2) Neutrino masses from large extra dimensions Nima Arkani-Hamed(SLAC), Savas Dimopoulos(Stanford U., Phys. Dept.), G.R. Dvali(New York U. and ICTP, Trieste), John March-Russell(CERN) Published in: Phys.Rev.D 65 (2001) 024032 e-Print: hep-ph/9811448 [hep-ph] DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.65.024032 3) Black holes and submillimeter dimensions Philip C. Argyres(Cornell U., LNS), Savas Dimopoulos(Stanford U., Phys. Dept.), John March-Russell(CERN) Published in: Phys.Lett.B 441 (1998) 96-104 e-Print: hep-th/9808138 [hep-th] DOI: 10.1016/S0370-2693(98)01184-8 4) Stabilization of submillimeter dimensions: The New guise of the hierarchy problem Nima Arkani-Hamed(SLAC), Savas Dimopoulos(Stanford U., Phys. Dept.), John March-Russell(CERN) Published in: Phys.Rev.D 63 (2001) 064020 e-Print: hep-th/9809124 [hep-th] DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.63.064020 5) Rapid asymmetric inflation and early cosmology in theories with submillimeter dimensions Nima Arkani-Hamed(SLAC), Savas Dimopoulos(Stanford U., Phys. Dept.), Nemanja Kaloper(Stanford U., Phys. Dept.), John March-Russell(CERN) Published in: Nucl.Phys.B 567 (2000) 189-228 e-Print: hep-ph/9903224 [hep-ph] DOI: 10.1016/S0550-3213(99)00667-7 6) Maximally Natural Supersymmetry Savas Dimopoulos(Stanford U., Phys. Dept.), Kiel Howe(Stanford U., Phys. Dept. and Unlisted), John March-Russell(Oxford U., Theor. Phys. and Stanford U., Phys. Dept.) Published in: Phys.Rev.Lett. 113 (2014) 111802 e-Print: 1404.7554 [hep-ph] DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.111802 7) String Photini at the LHC Asimina Arvanitaki(UC, Berkeley and LBL, Berkeley), Nathaniel Craig(Stanford U., Phys. Dept.), Savas Dimopoulos(Stanford U., Phys. Dept.), Sergei Dubovsky(Stanford U., Phys. Dept. and Moscow, INR), John March-Russell(Oxford U., Theor. Phys.) Published in: Phys.Rev.D 81 (2010) 075018 e-Print: 0909.5440 [hep-ph] DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.81.075018 8) Logarithmic unification from symmetries enhanced in the submillimeter infrared Nima Arkani-Hamed(UC, Berkeley and LBL, Berkeley), Savas Dimopoulos(Stanford U., Phys. Dept.), John March-Russell(CERN) Published in The many faces of the superworld: Yuri Golfand memorial volume, 627-648 e-Print: hep-th/9908146 [hep-th] DOI: 10.1142/9789812793850_0032 9) Matter-wave Atomic Gradiometer Interferometric Sensor (MAGIS-100) MAGIS-100 Collaboration Published in: Quantum Sci.Technol. 6 (2021) 4, 044003 e-Print: 2104.02835 [physics.atom-ph] DOI: 10.1088/2058-9565/abf719 10) Early inflation and cosmology in theories with submillimeter dimensions Nima Arkani-Hamed(SLAC), Savas Dimopoulos(Stanford U., Phys. Dept.), Nemanja Kaloper(Stanford U., Phys. Dept.), John March-Russell(CERN) Proceedings: 2nd International Workshop, COSMO'98, Asilomar, USA, Nov 15-20, 1998, 237-243 Published in: AIP Conf.Proc. 478 (1999) 1, 237-243 Contribution to: COSMO 1998, 237-243 e-Print: hep-ph/9903239 [hep-ph] DOI: 10.1063/1.59397 11) Auto-Concealment of Supersymmetry in Extra Dimensions Savas Dimopoulos(Stanford U., ITP and Stanford U., Phys. Dept.), Kiel Howe(Stanford U., ITP and SLAC and Stanford U., Phys. Dept.), John March-Russell(Oxford U., Theor. Phys. and Stanford U., ITP and Stanford U., Phys. Dept.), James Scoville(Oxford U., Theor. Phys. and AFIT, Ohio) Published in: JHEP 06 (2015) 041 e-Print: 1412.0805 [hep-ph] DOI: 10.1007/JHEP06(2015)041 12) Axion Mediation Masha Baryakhtar(Stanford U., ITP), Edward Hardy(Oxford U., Theor. Phys.), John March-Russell(Oxford U., Theor. Phys. and Stanford U., ITP) Published in: JHEP 07 (2013) 096 e-Print: 1301.0829 [hep-ph] DOI: 10.1007/JHEP07(2013)096 13) The Goldstini Variations Nathaniel Craig(Stanford U., Phys. Dept.), John March-Russell(Oxford U., Theor. Phys.), Matthew McCullough(Oxford U., Theor. Phys.) Published in: JHEP 10 (2010) 095 e-Print: 1007.1239 [hep-ph] DOI: 10.1007/JHEP10(2010)095 14) Axion-Assisted Electroweak Baryogenesis Nathaniel Craig(Stanford U., Phys. Dept.), John March-Russell(Oxford U., Theor. Phys.) e-Print: 1007.0019 [hep-ph] Report number: SU-ITP-10-18, OUTP-10-10P |
Description | Featuring of Black Hole Laboratory in Netflix Documentary on 'Black Holes: The Edge of all we Know'. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | My team and I were filmed for Peter Galison's documentary on Black hole - the edge of all we know. The documentary was quite successful, won several prizes and is now available on Netflix (https://www.blackholefilm.com/). The documentary was in the top 10 movies on Netflix USA when it was initially released. There is some beautiful footage of our experiments starting around 46:00 min. Some of the feedback on our setup is very positive: https://www.americanscientist.org/blog/science-culture/seeing-the-unseeable |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.blackholefilm.com/ |
Description | Quantum Sensors for Fundamental Physics Workshop 1 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Quantum Sensors for Fundamental Physics Workshop 1 had 4 goals. 1) To survey the extraordinary science opportunities and UK capabilities to exploit this science in a world-class programme 2) To demonstrate the immense interest in the UK in QSFP 3) To begin to form teams around key experiments that would be funded by QSFP 4) To work with STFC and EPSRC on the QSFP bid. On day 2 there was an overview of the Quantum Programme by Liam Blackwell (EPSRC) and the Strategic Priorities Fund by Jason Green (STFC), questions introduced for the bid and a Town Hall held with opportunity for the participants to help formulate answers. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://indico.cern.ch/event/760005/ |
Description | Quantum Sensors for Fundamental Physics Workshop 2 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Consortium meeting to hear presentations from each workpackage under the QSFP, give feedback, coordinate and merge across workpackages where required. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://indico.cern.ch/event/788042/ |