UCLA · Atomic, Molecular & Optical Physics

Harnessing quantum interactions for fundamental physics and new technology

Department of Physics & AstronomyUniversity of California, Los AngelesLos Angeles, California

Selected inquiries / 01—05

At the limits of measurement

Colloquium: Nuclear Clocks

Controlled nonlinear dynamics improve frequency measurement without requiring fragile nonclassical input states.

01Thorium-229 nuclear clock 02Molecular quantum logic 03Wideband quantum sensing 04Cold chemistry & complex molecules 05Barium-133 qubits

People / the group

Built through collaboration

Physicists, chemists, engineers, and students work across five connected experimental programs—sharing tools, ideas, and a commitment to ambitious measurement.

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Recent work / 2025—26

From nuclei to complex molecules

2026 · Instrumentation

Barium autoionization for efficient ion trap loading

Physical Review A 114, 013102

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2026 · Integrated photonics

A broadband, individually addressing two- and three-dimensional photonic integrated circuit for trapped-ion qubit control

arXiv:2607.25062

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2026 · Nuclear clock

Defect assignment of the clock site in ²²⁹Th:CaF₂

arXiv:2607.12202

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2026 · Nuclear clock

Ab initio calculations of ²²⁹Th band-to-band internal conversion rate in ²²⁹ThO₂

arXiv:2607.08941

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