Speaker
Description
A large ensemble of two-level systems where each is prepared in an equal superposition of ground and excited states is the quantum analogue of a classical oscillating dipole. Scattering of weakly interacting cosmic relics off such a dipole is dramatically enhanced due to collective effects analogous to Dicke superradiance, where the de-excitation and excitation rates of the ensemble scale as the square of the number of particles in the system, $N^2$. We coined the term ``superradiant interactions’’ to describe these effects. Because of this collective enhancement, the cross-section of these scattering processes can quickly become non-perturbative, as $N$ is increased. In this talk, I will explain this new regime, exhibited by a variety of particles both within and beyond the Standard Model. I will describe how one goes beyond the Born approximation to scattering and into the eikonal regime, and how observables on quantum detectors, such as energy transfer and decoherence, appear and scale in this regime. If time permits, I will show the new parameter space that can be probed using these effects, utilizing the recently proposed SIREN (Superradiant Interactions for Relic detection with Entangled Nuclear spins) quantum protocol.