Dr Michał Tomza and PhD student Dariusz Wiater from the Faculty of Physics of the University of Warsaw (UW) are co-authors of the article published by the “Nature Physics”. It presents the results of scientific work of physicists from the University of Warsaw and the University of Amsterdam, thanks to which it was possible for the first time to obtain an ultracold mixture of atoms and ions.

Researchers predict that such mixtures could be used as components of quantum computers and very precise clocks.

The Polish-Dutch team realized for the first time ultra-cold collisions in the quantum regime between a single ion and atoms. In a published article, scientists from Warsaw and Amsterdam presented the results of theoretical and experimental research in which such an ultra-cold mixture was created. This was possible thanks to the use of heavy ytterbium ions immersed in the ultra-cold gas of light lithium atoms.