The Italian route to quantum simulation and metrology with ultracold molecules

Year: 2026

Authors: Maddaloni P., Aiello R., Roati G., Santambrogio G., De Natale P.

Autors Affiliation: CNR, Ist Nazl Ott INO, Pozzuoli, Italy; CNR, Ist Nazl Ott INO, LENS, Via N Carrara 1, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; European Lab Nonlinear Spect LENS, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; Ist Nazl Ric Metrol INRIM, Via N Carrara 1, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; CNR, Ist Nazl Ott INO, Florence, Italy.

Abstract: We report on ongoing developments of advanced buffer-gas-cooling molecular sources carried out along two complementary lines of research in the laboratories of Florence and Naples. One direction aims at loading ultracold samples into engineered optical potentials with the goal of creating novel platforms for quantum simulation. The other focuses on realising metrological-grade spectroscopic interrogation methods, spanning from state-of-the-art cavity-enhanced techniques to approaches that exploit squeezed-light sources to attain measurement precision beyond classical limits. Ultimately, combining these two complementary areas of expertise will define a new paradigm that unifies quantum simulation of many-body dynamics with quantum-enhanced measurement capabilities.

Journal/Review: MOLECULAR PHYSICS

More Information: R. Aiello and P. Maddaloni would like to acknowledge PNRR MUR project ’National Quantum Science and Technology Institute’ NQSTI (Partenariato esteso 04-PE0023, CUPB53C22004180005). P. De Natale would like to acknowledge Progetto MUQUABIS (MULTISCALE QUANTUM BIO-IMAGING AND SPECTROSCOPY, G.A. n.101070546, CUPB53C22003150006) and I-PHOQS Infrastructure (INTEGRATED INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE IN PHOTONIC AND QUANTUM SCIENCES, European Union-NextGenerationEU Programme IR0000016, ID D2B8D520, CUPB53C22001750006). This work was part of 23FUN04 COMOMET that has received funding from the European Partnership on Metrology, co-financed by the Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Program of the European Union and from the Participating States (Funder ID:10.13039/100019599).
KeyWords: Buffer gas cooling; cold molecules; spectroscopy; quantum simulation
DOI: 10.1080/00268976.2026.2640162