INVITATION
to a TALK by
Prof. Dr. Sonja Franke-Arnold
University of Glasgow
School of Physics and Astronomy
Optical and atomic polarisation structures
Tuesday, October 24th 2023, 14:00 h
Location: Ernst-Mach Lecture Hall, 2nd floor, Boltzmanngasse 5
Hosted by: Markus Arndt
Abstract
Over the last decades we have gained unprecedented control over light, allowing us to shape its phase and polarisation structures and explore its topologies. Vector vortex light mimics quantum entanglement, can be focused below the conventional diffraction limit and allows us to explore the vectorial nature of light-matter interactions. In this talk I will illustrate a kaleidoscope of effects arising from polarization textured light, including the angular momentum redirection phase and optical skyrmions - and show how we transfer optical polarisation textures to polariton structures in a cold atomic gas. Unlike optical polarizations, atomic spin alignments react to external fields and forces, promising applications in magnetometry and inertial sensing.
