Aaron Smith
Research Fellow
​Aaron works on the ‘Long Range Interactions’ experiment, which is part of the alkaline group within the quantum technology hub here at Birmingham University. This project aims to study the long range interactions between atoms within a Mott insulator state, using an atomic transition in strontium. He joined the group in October 2025, moving from the cold atoms group also here at Birmingham, in which he was building a highly charged ion atomic clock, using a calcium ion lattice with Californium 15+ or 17+ ions implanted. His PhD was using optical potentials to manipulate rubidium BECs for Quantum simulations.
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Contact details
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Qualifications
MPhys in Physics, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom, 2018.
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PhD in Physics: Dynamics Manipulation of Ultra Cold Atoms Using Spatially Controlled Optical Potentials, University of Birmingham, 2022.
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Selected Publications
Barontini, G. et al. (2025) ‘Detecting milli-hz gravitational waves with optical resonators’, Classical and Quantum Gravity [Preprint]. doi:10.1088/1361-6382/ae09ec.
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Reid, D.G. et al. (2025) ‘Topological chiral edge states in a synthetic dimension of atomic trap states’, Physical Review A, 111(3). doi:10.1103/physreva.111.033301.
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Oliver, C. et al. (2023) ‘Bloch oscillations along a synthetic dimension of atomic trap states’, Physical Review Research, 5(3). doi:10.1103/physrevresearch.5.033001.
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Smith, A. et al. (2021) ‘Generation of optical potentials for ultracold atoms using a superluminescent diode’, Physical Review Research, 3(3). doi:10.1103/physrevresearch.3.033241.
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