Centre of Excellence in Low Temperature Quantum Phenomena and Devices

At low temperatures, physical systems eventually condense into their quantum mechanical ground state, and may exhibit extraordinary properties. Known examples are, for example, the superconducting state of metals, in which the electric current flows without losses, and the superfluid state of helium, in which the flow is similarly lossless. Both are examples of macroscopic quantum-mechanical phenomena that occur at low temperatures. The Centre of Excellence in Low Temperature Quantum Phenomena and Devices investigates quantum phenomena, both in continuous media, such as helium liquids and crystals, and in nanostructures realized with the latest fabrication tehnologies. The goal is to shed light on questions about the quantum mechanical properties of matter, and to produce novel electrical and mechanical components. To date, quantum phenomena have been utilized, for example, in the most sensitive radiation detectors, and in magnetic sensors used to measure brain activity.