Speaker: Dr. Laura Batini (ETH Zürich)
Title of Talk: Re-entrant phase transition in many-body Cavity QED
Abstract: In this talk, I will discuss an example of inverse melting—a phenomenon where, as an external parameter is increased, a system transitions from an ordered phase back into disorder—observed in a gas of ultracold atoms coupled to light inside an optical cavity. As the intensity of a blue-detuned laser increases, the atoms first self-organize into a regular, superradiant pattern, but then this order melts away at higher power. Our theoretical analysis shows that this re-entrant behavior arises from the competition between light-induced organization and the kinetic and lattice energy costs. The predictions closely match experimental observations, which reveal both continuous and discontinuous transitions between phases. These results highlight how cavity-based quantum systems provide a controllable platform for exploring nonequilibrium phase transitions.
Venue: Goldene Box in Physikalisches Institut, INF 226 (ground floor)
Schedule:
Talk: 16:30 – 17:15
Questions & Discussion: 17:15 – 17:30
Pizza & Drinks: 17:30
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