In this project we brought together a diverse group of scientists both experimental and theoretical experts in fields from atomic and condensed matter physics to electrical engineering. Our projects title Atomtronics: Material and device physics of quantum gases illustrates the chasm we bridged, starting from therich and fundamental physics already revealed with cold atoms systems, then leading to an understanding of the functional materials science required for practical device applications. The scope of this challenge far exceeded the capabilities of a single laboratory and successful completion required the dedicated collaborative effort of our proposed MURI team. Our program consisted of five lines of research, each developing core ideas relevant to atomtronic devices. (1) Spinatomics: the rich and controllable spin of ultracold atoms allows devices not even conceivable in conventional electronics; (2) Cascadable spinatomics gates: we will use the interactions between atomic spins to construct cascadable spin transistors; (3) Systems far from equilibrium: systems of ultracold atoms can be reliably preparedin states very far from thermal equilibrium, leading to new functional behavior; (4) Cold atom closed circuits: here we studied how several atomtronic circuit elements can be interconnected into more complex integrated devices; and (5) Optoelectronic interfaces: we will also developed a platform to couple atoms to optical fields near the surface of fibers allowing effective interconnection to conventional opto-electronic devices. Ultracold atoms had already demonstrated superior functionality relevant to important DoD missions such as navigation, timekeeping, and sensing. In such applications, the atoms are coupled immediately to external circuit elements. Future extensions of our atomtronic research may help bridge the gap between atomic sensors and external electronics more effectively than current technologies.
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