GRANIT-2014 Workshop
“Quantum gravitational spectroscopy with ultracold systems”
This workshop will take place in "Les Houches" (France), in the heart ot the Mont Blanc massif, from 2 to 7 March 2014. It is the 3rd one in a series of our GRANIT Workshops.
This is an emerging field of science based on recent major advances in related experimental and theoretical developments. The gravitational spectroscopy is profiting from its exceptional sensitivity due to extreme weakness of the gravitational interaction compared to other fundamental interactions; thus it provides us access to the precision frontier in particle physics and other domains. Quantum gravitational spectroscopy is the ultimate limit of gravitational spectroscopy, which studies/measures most fragile and thus sensitive lowest quantum states of ultracold particles and systems. Ultracold particles, like neutrons, atoms or antiatoms, with sufficiently high phase-space density, are the necessary condition for providing observable phenomena with ultracold systems in gravitational quantum states. Some of such studies, like those with ultracold neutrons, have become reality; others with ultracold atoms and antiatoms are in preparation.
We welcome researches from these and neighbor fields, in particular those who provide deeper understanding and integrating of sub-fields of this rapidly developing research domain, analyzing common points and differences of neighbor sub-fields. We understand the unique inter-disciplinary position of the field of “quantum gravitational spectroscopy with ultracold systems” on a cross-road of many scientific domains and encourage speakers to reveal these interplays. We are particularly interested in contributions describing research to be done with the new GRANIT facility, including all aspects from the theoretical motivation and analysis of already measured results, but also potentially new areas, methodical and instrumental developments, which could improve its performance and universality, and finally analyzing priorities of these studies.
Potential topics include, but are not limited to:
- Measurements of gravitational quantum states of neutrons, including experimental results and theoretical developments, but also neutron interferometry in broad sense;
- Novel instruments and methods for gravitational spectroscopy and interferometry, including those capable of improving performance of the GRANIT facility;
- Fundamental interactions in near-surface quantum systems, including short-range forces, chameleon-like forces, non-commutative quantum mechanics, emerging gravity, anti-matter and gravity;
- Precision fundamental measurements with ultracold systems, including gravity with atoms, molecules, neutrons and antimatter, quantum reflection and dissipation, Aharonov-Bohm and Aharonov-Casher effects;
- Surface studies with the GRANIT facility, including materials with pre-defined properties, levitating nanoparticles, whispering-gallery effect.
The registration fee will be payed in "Les Houches" by credit card (no american express), cheque or in cash. The conference fee will be about 490 Euros ; it includes all living expenses (room, 3 meals per day, coffee breaks, as well as facilities available in Les Houches) as well as Workshop proceedings (as previously, we plan to publish summarizing articles in a special issue of a refereed journal, Advances in High Energy Physics). The conference fee for students will be reduced. The maximum number of participants is limited by facilities available in Les Houches.
