Quantum Atomic Matter Near Two-Dimensional Materials in Microgravity

TL;DR

This paper explores the potential of engineering interactions between cold atoms and two-dimensional materials in microgravity, aiming to observe novel quantum phenomena like quantum reflection and BEC shifts.

Contribution

It proposes a new approach to manipulate atom-2D material interactions in microgravity, enabling the study of complex quantum phases and effects.

Findings

Potential to observe quantum reflection off 2D materials

Proposal for manipulating van der Waals / Casimir-Polder interactions

Enabling studies of confined Bose-Einstein Condensates in microgravity

Abstract

Novel two-dimensional (2D) atomically flat materials, such as graphene and transition-metal dichalcogenides, exhibit unconventional Dirac electronic spectra. We propose to effectively engineer their interactions with cold atoms in microgravity, leading to a synergy between complex electronic and atomic collective quantum phases and phenomena. Dirac materials are susceptible to manipulation and quantum engineering via changes in their electronic properties by application of strain, doping with carriers, adjustment of their dielectric environment, etc. Consequently the interaction of atoms with such materials, namely the van der Waals / Casimir-Polder interaction, can be effectively manipulated, leading to the potential observation of physical effects such as Quantum Reflection off atomically thin materials and confined Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC) frequency shifts.