Recent work in atomic physics includes the studies of the interactions of high-energy photons with matter, in support of experiments performed at Argonne's Advanced Photon Source (APS). Theoretical studies are being conducted on the physics of Compton scattering by bound electrons, focusing on topics selected in view of basic importance, timeliness, and potential in applications. We also produced a review on "Electron collision cross sections of atoms" for inclusion in a forthcoming volume on "Atomic Collisions" in the Landolt-Börnstein Numerical Data and Functional Relationships series. Our studies in neutron physics include basic issues in the interpretation of neutron interferometry experiments, and their application to proposed measurements of the neutron electric-dipole moment.
Our work in quantum computing has focused recently on quantum robots. A quantum robot is a mobile system with an on-board quantum computer and ancillary memory, output, and control systems. The quantum robot interacts with other quantum systems in its environment. The dynamics of the interaction is described by tasks that are alternate sequences of computation and action phases, depending on the state of the control system. Each computation phase determines the action for the next phase. Input includes the local state of the environment and states of the memory and output systems. The following action phase carries out the action determined in the previous computation phase. We are currently studying simple search tasks to see if their are examples that can be carried out more efficiently by a quantum robot than by a classical robot.
Heavy-ion reactions and nuclear structure
Theoretical Physics Research