LEE LECTURE: CHU, Steven, “A random walk into laser cooling, optical trapping and beyond” - 04/25/23

David M. Lee Historical Lecture in Physics:
STEVEN CHU
William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Physics, Professor of Molecular and Cellular Physiology and of Energy Science and Engineering, Stanford University
1997 Nobel Laureate
“A random walk into laser cooling, optical trapping and beyond”
April 25, 2023
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Abstract: A personal perspective of how laser cooling and optical trapping of atoms and biomolecules was developed. Emphasis will be given on how an elementary understanding of the physics at an undergraduate physics level led to success in initial successes. Once the basic tools of optical molasses and optical trapping were developed, more random walks into polymer physics and biology will be described.