Atomic and Molecular Physics at JILA

JILA is making major contributions to two vibrant research areas in the field of atomic and molecular physics: ultracold matter and the control of atoms and molecules with ultrafast light. Ultracold atoms and molecules comprise novel forms of matter that form at temperatures below a few millionths of a degree above absolute zero (-459.67 F). Many of JILA's atomic physicists are studying the creation of these novel substances and investigating their properties, behavior, and interactions. In the process, they're learning first hand about the strange, hidden world of the nanocosmos where the laws of quantum mechanics predominate.