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Quantum Gas Microscopy of Fermions in the Continuum

Tim de Jongh1,*, Joris Verstraten1,*, Maxime Dixmerias1, Cyprien Daix1, Bruno Peaudecerf2, and Tarik Yefsah1

  • *These authors contributed equally to this work.
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 134, 183403 – Published 5 May, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.183403

Abstract

Atom-based quantum simulators offer a unique platform that enables the imaging of each particle in a many-body system. Until now, however, this capability has been limited to quantum systems in discretized space such as optical lattices and tweezers, where spatial degrees of freedom are quantized. Here, we introduce a novel method for imaging atomic quantum many-body systems in the continuum, allowing for in situ resolution of every particle. We demonstrate the capabilities of our approach on a two-dimensional atomic Fermi gas. We probe the density correlation functions, resolving their full spatial functional form, and reveal the shape of the Fermi hole arising from Pauli exclusion as a function of temperature. Our method opens the door to probing strongly correlated quantum gases in the continuum with unprecedented spatial resolution, providing in situ access to spatially resolved correlation functions of arbitrarily high order across the entire system.

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PRL Collection of the Year 2025

For the second year in a row, our editors have curated a set of some of the best papers from the wide range of topics PRL covers in fundamental and applied physical science. Congratulations to all the authors in this collection!

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A Glimpse at the Quantum Behavior of a Uniform Gas

Published 5 May, 2025

An innovative way to image atoms in cold gases could provide deeper insights into the atoms’ quantum correlations.

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In Situ Imaging of the Thermal de Broglie Wavelength in an Ultracold Bose Gas

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 134, 183401 (2025)

Measuring Pair Correlations in Bose and Fermi Gases via Atom-Resolved Microscopy

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 134, 183402 (2025)

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Outline

Information

Phys. Rev. Lett. 134, 183403– Published 5 May, 2025
  • Received 14 November 2024
  • Revised 23 January 2025
  • Accepted 20 February 2025
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