All the information about the conference can be found at https://www.qmts.it/conferences/fpqp2024/

The workshop will gather young researchers working on topics at the interface between gravity and quantum mechanics. The topics will range from models describing non-standard coupling between gravity and matter, to recent proposals of experimental setups for studying the nature of gravity via table-top experiments. PhD students and PostDocs will be given the opportunity to present their research activity and interact with their colleagues, and share motivations, techniques and perspectives, in a friendly and informal environment. A great amount of time will be dedicated to discussions and perspectives.

All the information about the conference can be found at https://www.qmts.it/conferences/a-look-at-the-interface-between-gravity-and-quantum-theory-2024-edition/

A century after its birth, quantum mechanics continues to collect extraordinary successes. Nevertheless, there are still open problems at its FOUNDATIONS. Specifically, the quantum measurement problem, exemplified by the famous Schrödinger cat paradox, poses several questions still lacking an answer. Why a cat cannot be prepared in a quantum superposition? What is the real meaning of the wavefunction? How one can interpret or modify the quantum theory to solve the MEASUREMENT problem?

This workshop wants to give a glimpse into some of the open questions in the foundations of quantum mechanics from different perspectives. We will tackle the ontology of the wavefunction, the quantum measurement problem, the spontaneous collapse models, the Bohm mechanics and the many world interpretation of quantum mechanics.

The workshop is limited in the number of attendee. If you are interested to attend, please consider registering as soon as possible. Please register here: https://www.qmts.it/conferences/as-for-the-cat-models-and-interpretations-of-quantum-mechanics/

The deadline for the registration is the 26th of April.

QuCoM experimentalists continue to hold regular online meetings every second Tuesday of every month. At both experiment sites, Leiden and Southampton, there are setups which are used to detect gravity with levitated masses. These experiments are cryogenic and involved advanced vibration isolation techniques.
Leiden labs are using tantalum superconductors and asymmetric shaped particles to preferentially detect selected oscillation modes, while Southampton is using lead traps and mostly spherical particles. Experimentalists have also been discussing techniques and protocols to acquire data of the motion of levitated particles for highly sensitive force and acceleration detection as well as manipulation techniques to prepare selected states of motion, such as squeezed and cooled thermal states. The intermediate goal is to achieve thermal noise limited motional modes at the temperature of the cryogenic environment.
Presently, most modes are still driven and therefore heated by vibrations coupling into the particle motion. The best results have been achieved with a passive cryogenic system to be close to the thermal noise limit at 300 mK at Southampton. Therefore, vibration isolation strategies are discussed, and knowledge is shared for inverted pendulum GAS filters and other spring-mass type vibration isolation approaches. Leiden University has the most advanced setup on vibration isolation while using a pulsed tube cooled cryostat. A creative idea is to use a liquid-based vibration damper for future improved isolation at low frequencies.

The QuCoM team is also, with occasional participation from theorists across the project team, discussing different ideas for setting up gravity experiments with the source mass implemented inside the cryostat, which will allow to reduce the size of the source mass significantly and likely below the current smallest mass gravity measurement achieved. The main idea is still to use close to resonance excitation of the source mass to enhance detection sensitive and use some sort of mass modulation of the source mass inside the cryostat. Rotation based platforms as well as linear modulation systems are under consideration. 

All the information about the conference can be found at http://www.qmts.it/?q=fpqp2023

The PI chaired a discussion on planning the project first Review Meeting: possible dates, possible names for monitors, preliminary agenda, organizational aspects. The PI gave a preliminary presentation of the project overview with the double intent of collecting missing data from the partners and to give an example of presentation for the Review Meeting. Partners agreed to organize in WPs and prepare corresponding presentations. Admin officer gave a preliminary presentation on WP4 – Management, Dissemination, Exploitation and Communication, Commercial exploitation. Partners also discussed some aspects of reporting on the portal: Deliverables, Milestones, Risks, Impact and Results and some inputs were collected on dissemination and communication.

The workshop Quantum sensing and fundamental physics with levitated mechanical systems aims at bringing together theorists and experimentalists working in the field of levitated nano/micromechanical systems, using various platforms (optical, electrical, magnetic) and in related fields in order to discuss the most recent results and exchange ideas in order to explore new opportunities in quantum sensing and fundamental physics. In particular, the workshop will cover the following topics: levitated optomechanics, levitated magnetomechanics, levitated micro and nanosensors, hybrid quantum systems, spin-mechanics, search for dark matter or modified gravity or new physics beyond the standard model, fundamental science in space.

All the information about the conference can be found at https://www.ectstar.eu/workshops/quantum-sensing-and-fundamental-physics-with-levitated-mechanical-systems/

The workshop will gather young researchers working in topics at the interface between gravity and quantum mechanics. PhD students and PostDocs will be given the opportunity to present their research activity and interact with their colleagues, share motivations, techniques and perspectives, in a friendly and informal environment. A great amount of time will be dedicated to discussions and perspectives. The workshop is limited to a small number of attendee. If you are interested to attend, please consider registering as soon as possible. If your schedule changes and you are not able to attend after having registered, please let us know as soon as possible.

All the information about the conference can be found at qmts.it/?q=gravity-quantum/2023

PIs and team member of the QuCoM project, 17 participants in total, have met in person for a 2-day scientific meeting to update on progress and to define next steps and new collaborations to achieve the objectives of the QuCoM project. The Steering Committee has also met to discuss preparation for the end of the reporting period. Moreover, the host Leiden University organized a lab tour for the participants who had opportunity to have informal discussions in small groups. Experimentalist had a structured meeting for internal updates.