2024 research activities
Overview
The Department of Physics of Complex Systems has research programs in fundamental and applied physics. Research in optics and atomic physics includes nonlinear optics, ultra fast optics and high harmonic generation, quantum optics, slow light, descrete optics, nano optics and nonlinear microscopy, laser cooling and trapping of atoms and ions, studies of Bose Einstein condensation, precision spectroscopy and quantum information processing. Theoretical and experimental research in soft condensed matter is concentrated on equilibrium and non-equilibrium statistical physics, clustering of data, bioinformatics and systems biology, electrokinetics of ions and charged particles in low dielectric liquids, colloids, soft materials and complex fluids. Experimental and theoretical hydrodynamics concentrates on turbulence, spatio-temporal chaos, turbulent Rayleigh-Benard convection, liquids at interfaces, droplet impact, sedimentation and dynamics of single micro-objects, such as polymers, vesicles, capsules and hydrodynamics of their solutions. Turbulence theory is developed in general and in applications to cloud physics. Classical and quantum chaos, statistics of nodal lines in quantum systems and turbulence are studied theoretically. Mathematical and computational methods for archaeological research are developed. Theoretical physical biology deals with modeling living information systems, their molecular components and the way they evolve. Experimental bio-physics deals with bio-molecules, neural cultures, neurophysics, physics of the brain, physics of bio-systems and decision making in ant colonies.
ScientistsShow details
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Dr. Hillel Aharoni
Geometry and deformation of soft materialsTopological defects in liquid crystalsWrinkling patterns
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Dr. Rotem Arnon-Friedman
Quantum cryptographyDevice-independent quantum cryptographyQuantum key distributionCertification protocolsQuantum-proof randomness extractorsEntanglement theoryNon-localityEntanglement certificationEntanglement as a resource for quantum cryptography
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Prof. Nir Davidson
Ultracold atomsCollaboration with: Ofer Firstenberg Ephi Sachmoon and Yaov SagiQuantum simulators with neutral atoms in tweezer arraysQuantum degenerated atomic gasesCollaboration with: Roee OzeriQuantum nonlinear dynamics and chaosLaser physicsCollaboration with: Asher Friesem, Hui Cao, Oren RazSlow and stored lightCollaboration with: Ofer FirstenbergAtomic optics and interferometryCollaboration with: Ofer Firstenberg
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Prof. Eytan Domany
Computational Physics: equilibrium and non-equilibrium statistical mechanics of spin glassesCollaboration with: A. P. Young (UCSC)Development of tools and algorithms for large scale data analysis. Bioinformatics.Analysis of high-throughput biological data (in particular, gene expression data)Collaboration with: Several research groups at Weizmann, in the USA and in Europe; see below.Controlled experiments on cell lines and mice (with D. Givol, V. Rotter, Y. Groner, L. Sachs; D. Gazit (Hadassa))Development of antigen chips, applications for autoimmune diseases (with I. Cohen)Studies human cancer samples; leukemia (with E. Canaani; G. Rechavi S. Izraeli (Sheba))Colorectal cancer; (with D. Notterman (UMDNJ), F. Barany (Cornell), P. Paty (MSK), A. Levine (Princeton))Prostate cancer; (with Z. Eshhar, A. Orr (TA Sourasky));Glioblastoma; (with M. Hegi, R. Stupp (CHUV))Breast and cervical cancer (with J-P Thiery, F. Radvanyi, X. Sastre, C. Rosty (Inst Curie))
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Prof. Efi Efrati
Geometrically frustrated assembliesQuantifying geometric frustration in physical assembliesGeometric frustration in liquid crystalsTwisted molecular crystalsPeriodic and aperiodic frustrated tesselations of the planeGeometry of elastic and anelastic deformationsFractional statistics in mixed Hamiltonian systems with non-holonomic constraints
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Prof. Gregory Falkovich
Wave turbulenceCollaboration with: Natalia Vladimirova, MIchal Shavit, Vladimir LebedevTheory of fluid turbulence. Fundamental aspects and applications.Collaboration with: Anna Frishman, Vladimir Lebedev, Natalia Vladmirova, Bjorn Hof.Information theory and non-equilibrium statisticsCollaboration with: Michal Shavit, Natalia VladimirovaViscous ElectronicsCollaboration with: Leonid Levitov, Andrey Shytov, Andre Geim.
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Dr. Ofer Feinerman
Collective behavior of ants.Information sharing in cooperative groups.Collective decision making.
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Prof. Ofer Firstenberg
Photon-photon interactions and nonlinear quantum optics using Rydberg atomsAtom interferometersAtomic sensorsQuantum memories in hot and cold atoms
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Prof. Asher Friesem
Diffractive Optical Elements and Planar Optics.Photonic Devices.Novel Laser Configurations.
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Prof. Ulf Leonhardt
Forces of the quantum vacuumAnalogues of the event horizonGeometry and lightInvisibility cloaking and perfect imaging
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Prof. Victor Malka
Laser Plasma AcceleratorsCollaboration with: HZDR in Germany, Ecole Polytechnique in France, and UM from USCompact plasma based accelerators of electrons and protonsCompact plasma based X ray beamsGas dynamics for targetryMedical applications (radiotherapy, X ray phase contrast imaging)
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Dr. Ziv Meir
Quantum control of moleculesQuantum logicMolecular qubitsPrecision spectroscopy of moleculesBeyond-standard-model testsMolecular clocksQuantum information with molecules
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Prof. David Mukamel
Systems with long-range interactionsCollaboration with: S. Ruffo A. CampaCollective phenomena in systems far from thermal equilibrium.Collaboration with: S. Majumdar G. Schehr M. Barma A. KunduCoarsening processes and slow dynamics.Systems with long range interactions
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Prof. Roee Ozeri
Quantum metrology and precision measurementsUltra-cold ions and atomsQuantum ComputingUltra-cold collisions and interactions
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Dr. Alexander Poddubny
Theory of interaction between Rydberg polaritonsCollaboration with: Ofer FirstenbergQuantum optics with superconducting qubitsCollaboration with: Serge Rosenblum, Johannes Fink (IST Austria)Subradiant and superradiant states in waveguide quantum electrodynamicsCollaboration with: Arno Rauschenbeutel (Humboldt University, Berlin)Subradiant and superradiant statesQuantum optomechanicsCollaboration with: Marcus Aspelmeier (University of Vienna)
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Dr. Osip Schwartz
Laser-enhanced electron microscopySpatial and temporal shaping of electron wavefunctionTransmission electron microscopy with laser-based electron opticsProbing physical vacuum with strong laser fieldsTabletop photon-photon scattering experimentsDevelopment of megawatt-class cavities with tightly focused mode
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Prof. Uzy Smilansky
Mathematical methods for Archaeological research.Semi-classical quantization.Chaotic scattering.Quantum chaos.
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Prof. Joel Stavans
Statistical MechanicsSingle-Molecule Biological Physics.RNA interferenceHomologous recombinationGenetic Networks and Systems BiologyRegulation of gene expression by small RNAsDevelopmental decision makingNoise and adaptation
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Prof. Victor Steinberg
Physical hydrodynamics, hydrodynamics of complex fluids, dynamics of single flexible micro-objects (molecules, membranes, etc) in complex fluid flowsCollaboration with: Prof. G. Falkovich, Prof. V. Lebedev, Prof. Y. Dubief, Prof. H. StarkHydrodynamics of polymer solutions, Elastic turbulence and Turbulent mixing by polymers.Hydrodynamics and rheology of complex fluids (vesicle, capsule, worm-like micelle, etc suspensions)Dynamics and conformation of single polymer molecule, vesicle, micro-capsule, etc in complex fluid flows.Microfluidics: mixing, cell separation, random flows.Development of non-invasive local sensors for measurements of stress field in fluid flow
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