The Quantum Simulator for Fundamental Physics (qSimFP) consortium, including 15 investigators from 7 UK Research Organisations and 5 International Partners was formed in 2018-2020. Funding through the Quantum Technology for Fundamental Physics initiative started in November 2020 with the project duration of 3 years and 5 months. Our programme unites the quantum-technology and fundamental-physics communities, with leading scientists from both camps now working together and focusing on common goals.
We are interested in the dynamics of the early universe and black holes, which are fundamental reflections of the interplay between general relativity and quantum fields. The essential physical processes occur when gravitational interactions are strong and quantum effects are important. These situations are difficult to observe and impossible to experiment with, while the existing theoretical approaches are based on approximations that are in need of experimental verification. Our goal is to exploit the recent advances in quantum technologies, often motivated by fundamental physics questions, to make lab-based tests of the theories through analogue quantum simulation.
The initial funding will be used to set up a versatile early universe simulator (Cambridge) and two types of versatile quantum black hole simulators (Nottingham, RHUL and St. Andrews). The experimental facilities will be supported by the qSimFP Fundamental Physics consortium at KCL, Nottingham, RHUL and Newcastle.
We will deliver first scientific results within the scope of that grant. Looking beyond this 3.5-year horizon, we will establish both a new cross-disciplinary community and internationally-leading experimental facilities that will allow us to drive this new field forward for many years to come.
Recent news from the consortium
Innovation Showcase Event
<p> 1 March 2023, Royal College Of Physicians, 11 St Andrews Place, London NW1 4LE Organised by the Science & Technology Facilities Council. Registration <a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/innovation-showcase-event-tickets-445247696847" target ="_blank">Here</a> </p> <p> Join us at an in-person event in London to hear about our exciting funding plans for the next two years: </p> <ul> <li>launching our new leading-edge ‘Late-Stage Research and Development Scheme’ joint with Innovate UK, to progress ideas from the STFC Particle Physics, Astronomy and Nuclear Physics (PPAN) community towards market readiness – Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5-7; </li> <br> <li>announcing our plans for the STFC Horizons Programme with a new call with a focus on Net Zero;</li> <br> <li>sharing our plans for the STFC Cluster funding awards based at our world leading facilities in the UK; and</li> <br> <li>giving details of a new Industry Engagement Fund which builds on the success of the Bridging for Innovators (B4I) scheme and will see industry work with our world class facilities and expertise to support industrial challenges.</li> </ul> <p> The showcase event will highlight these opportunities and give you an opportunity to network and ask questions. The event is free to attend, and we would be delighted to see you there. </p>
Feb. 2, 2023QTFP networking event
<p> At the beginning of February 2023, our group attended the Quantum Technologies for Fundamental Physics Engagement Event. This event, organised by STFC and UKRI, brought together researchers from seven consortia funded by the QTFP programme, to demonstrate their progress in front of a wider scientific community. We are thankful for two days of inspiring talks and networking opportunities and we are looking for new future collaborations with our partners across the programme. </p> <p> The QTFP programme aims to demonstrate how quantum technologies can be utilised to investigate key fundamental physics questions such as the search for dark matter, the nature of gravity and measurements of the quantum properties of elementary particles, thus ensuring the UK remains a first rank nation in the physics and quantum communities around the world. </p>
Nov. 19, 2022Quantum Technologies for Fundamental Physics Winter School 2023
9th-13th January 2023 <br> Robinson College, University of Cambridge and online <br> Lecturers will include: <li><strong>Prof. Ed Daw</strong> -Quantum sensing for the hidden sector </li> <li><strong> Dr Rachel Godunand and Dr Nathaniel Sherrill</strong> -Networked quantum sensors for fundamental physics </li> <li><strong>Prof. Timothy Kovachy</strong> -Atom interferometry observatories and networks </li> <li><strong>Dr Denis Martynov</strong> -Quantum-enhanced interferometry for new physics </li> <li><strong>Prof. Ruben Saakyanand and Prof. Stafford Withington</strong> -Determination of absolute neutrino mass </li> <li><strong>Prof. Silke Weinfurtner</strong> -Quantum simulators for fundamental physics </li> Register now <a href="https://indico.cern.ch/event/1215570/ " target ="_blank">Here</a>
Nov. 7, 2022Quantum Technologies for Fundamental Physics Engagement Event - Thursday 2nd and Friday 3rd February
STFC/EPSRC, part of UK Research and Innovation, are hosting a two day in-person event on Thursday 2nd and Friday 3rd February, at <a href="https://warwick.ac.uk/services/conferences/location" target ="_blank">Warwick Conferences</a>, to promote engagement between scientists and engineers from different types of expertise on quantum technologies and fundamental physics research. Quantum Technologies for Fundamental Physics (QTFP) is a £40m programme funded through the UKRI Strategic Priorities Fund and part of the National Quantum Technologies Programme (NQTP). The first seven projects were awarded in late 2020, this event will demonstrate the progress that has been achieved so far as well as discuss the future ambitions in this growing space. The event will be free to attend and open to all communities, but is primarily a scientific event for those across all career stages from the STFC core sciences, EPSRC quantum sciences and technologies and the NQTP. Registration is via <a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/quantum-technologies-for-fundamental-physics-engagement-event-tickets-402496516917?utm_campaign=post_publish&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eventbrite&utm_content=shortLinkNewEmail" target ="_blank">Eventbrite</a> - Quantum Technologies for Fundamental Physics Engagement Event Tickets, Thu 2 Feb 2023 at 10:00 | Eventbrite and closes on the 6th January 2023 If you have any queries please contact <a href="mailto:qtfp@stfc.ukri.org">qtfp@stfc.ukri.org</a>
June 15, 2022QSimFP Annual Workshop in London 20-21st September 2022
We are pleased to announce that the 1st QSimFP Annual Workshop will be held from **20th-21st September 2022** in London, at the [Institute of Physics](https://www.iop.org/) and at the [Science Gallery London](https://london.sciencegallery.com/) at King’s College London (click [here](https://www.google.com/maps/@51.5182286,-0.1039892,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m3!11m2!2sIwpI5CFVSZGS1q-zAQR6VQ!3e3) for an interactive map). **Day one**: Outreach and FVD (Venue: [Science Gallery London] (https://london.sciencegallery.com/)) **Day two**: Quantum Black Holes (Venue: [IOP](https://www.iop.org/)) ___ Registration is CLOSED ___ Programme, hotel recommendations, and directions coming up soon Please contact _r.raupp@ucl.ac.uk_ for any queries
Nov. 14, 2021New Website
We are currently in the process of launching the new website.
Nov. 14, 2021National Quantum Technology Showcase 2021
QSimFP presented a novel interferometric detection method applied to fluid interfaces as the NQTP Showcase in London, 2021.

Vanessa Augustus

Carlo Barenghi

Thomas Billam

Jonathan Braden

Christoph Eigen

Sebastian Erne

Ruth Gregory

Zoran Hadzibabic

Gregoire Ithier

Alexander Jenkins

Matthew Johnson

Anthony Kent

Friedrich Koenig

Jorma Louko

Ian Moss

John Owers-Bradley

Hiranya Peiris

Andrew Pontzen

Xavier Rojas

Joerg Schmiedmayer

Theo Torres

Viktor Tsepelin

William G. Unruh

Silke Weinfurtner

Patrik Švančara
Origin and evolution of the multiply-quantised vortex instability
Sam Patrick, August Geelmuyden, Sebastian Erne, Carlo F. Barenghi, Silke Weinfurtner
Sept. 9, 2021Bubble Clustering in Cosmological First Order Phase Transitions
Dalila Pirvu, Jonathan Braden, Matthew C. Johnson
Aug. 12, 2021False vacuum decay in an ultracold spin-1 Bose gas
Thomas P. Billam, Kate Brown, Ian G. Moss
May 24, 2021The sound-ring radiation of expanding vortex clusters
August Geelmuyden, Sebastian Erne, Sam Patrick, Carlo Barenghi, Silke Weinfurtner
April 15, 2021Simulating cosmological supercooling with a cold atom system II
Thomas P. Billam, Kate Brown, Andrew J. Groszek, Ian G. Moss
Nov. 20, 2020Interferometric Unruh detectors for Bose-Einstein condensates
Cisco Gooding, Steffen Biermann, Sebastian Erne, Jorma Louko, William G. Unruh, Joerg Schmiedmayer, Silke Weinfurtner
Oct. 13, 2020Unruh and analogue Unruh temperatures for circular motion in 3+1 and 2+1 dimensions
Steffen Biermann, Sebastian Erne, Cisco Gooding, Jorma Louko, Jörg Schmiedmayer, William G. Unruh, Silke Weinfurtner