David Jeffrey Wineland (born February 24, 1944, in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin) is an American physicist celebrated for his pioneering research in quantum mechanics and atomic physics. He was awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physics, which he shared with French physicist Serge Haroche, for their groundbreaking work on observing and controlling individual quantum systems, especially trapped ions. Wineland’s work has been instrumental in advancing the fields of quantum information processing, quantum optics, and precise timekeeping. His work has not only redefined precision timekeeping but also has profound implications for fundamental physics and applications such as GPS technology, navigation, and synchronization in communication systems.

Early Life and Education:

Wineland grew up in Wisconsin and California, developing a passion for science early on. He pursued his studies in physics, earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 1965. He then went on to earn his PhD in physics from Harvard University in 1970, where he studied under Norman Foster Ramsey Jr., a Nobel laureate. His doctoral work, titled “The Atomic Deuterium Maser,” focused on atomic clocks and high-precision measurements.

Career Beginnings:

Following his PhD, Wineland conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Washington, where he worked with Hans Dehmelt on studying trapped ions and electrons. His time at Washington laid the foundation for his later work in ion trapping, a technique that would define much of his career.

In 1975, Wineland joined the National Bureau of Standards (later known as the National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST) in Boulder, Colorado, where he spent over four decades conducting revolutionary research. His research focuses on quantum state manipulation of atomic and atomic-like systems with applications toward quantum information, including quantum computation and quantum limited metrology.

Groundbreaking Contributions:

1. Laser Cooling of Ions: One of Wineland’s most significant breakthroughs came in 1978, when he and his colleagues successfully developed laser cooling techniques. Using laser pulses, they were able to cool ions to their lowest energy state. This process, known as Doppler cooling, allowed scientists to reduce the motion of ions and gain precise control over their quantum states. Laser cooling has since become a fundamental tool in quantum physics and atomic optics, making possible the manipulation of particles at the quantum level.
2. Studying Individual Quantum Systems: Wineland and Haroche realized a long-standing dream of quantum physics: studying the behavior of single quantum objects. The founders of quantum mechanics believed that studying a single quantum system, like a single atom or a single photon, was beyond the realm of experimental possibility. Many believed that it did not even make sense to talk about a single atom; only the behavior of an ensemble could be meaningful. In fact, Schrödinger asserted: “…we never experiment with just one electron or atom … In thought experiments, we sometimes assume that we do; this invariably entails ridiculous consequences…”. The groups of Haroche and Wineland turned this idea on its head; not only did they use individual atoms and photons to elucidate some of the strangest aspects of quantum mechanics, they have even used them to make practical devices.
3. Quantum Superposition and Schrödinger’s Cat: In 1995, Wineland’s group made a major leap by placing trapped ions in a quantum superposition of two states. This experiment allowed them to observe quantum mechanical phenomena, like the famous Schrödinger’s cat paradox, where an entity can exist in two contradictory states simultaneously. This marked the first experimental demonstration of such behavior, transitioning from theoretical thought experiments to laboratory reality.
4. Quantum Computing: Wineland’s contributions to quantum computing are equally profound. In 1995, his team conducted one of the first quantum logic operations using trapped ions. They demonstrated a controlled-NOT (CNOT) gate, a crucial component of quantum computing. This experiment confirmed that trapped ions could function as qubits, the basic units of information in a quantum computer. Wineland’s work played a key role in establishing ion trapping as one of the most promising platforms for the development of quantum computers.
5. Atomic Clocks and Precision Measurement: In the early 2000s, Wineland’s team achieved a breakthrough in timekeeping by developing an atomic clock based on trapped ions. This clock was significantly more accurate than the cesium-based clocks traditionally used to measure time. In 2010, this highly precise clock was used to test Einstein’s theory of relativity on a remarkably small scale, detecting time dilation at speeds as low as 36 kilometers per hour and across a vertical distance of just 33 centimeters. This experiment showcased the practical precision of Wineland’s atomic clocks and their ability to test fundamental physical principles. Wineland’s work has led to the best-ever performance of an atomic clock. A single aluminum ion “ticking” at the frequency of light, about 1015 times per second, produced a clock, the systematic uncertainty of which was better than a part in 1017. Optical clocks will probably one day replace the cesium atomic clocks—now with accuracies of a few parts in 1016—that currently define time.

Awards and Honors:

Throughout his illustrious career, Wineland has received numerous prestigious awards, including:

• Nobel Prize in Physics (2012), shared with Serge Haroche
• Davisson-Germer Prize (1990) in Atomic or Surface Physics
• Arthur L. Schawlow Prize in Laser Science (2001)
• National Medal of Science (2007)
• Benjamin Franklin Medal in Physics (2010)
• Micius Quantum Prize (2019)

He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1992 and is a fellow of both the American Physical Society and the Optical Society of America.

Later Career and Legacy:

In 2017, after retiring from NIST, Wineland joined the University of Oregon as a professor of physics. His work continues to influence the fields of quantum mechanics, quantum computing, and atomic physics. His pioneering techniques for manipulating trapped ions have laid the foundation for future technologies in quantum computing and quantum communications.

David Wineland’s career is a testament to the power of experimental physics in revealing the mysteries of the quantum world. His innovative techniques, particularly in controlling and cooling individual ions, have not only verified long standing theories but also opened new avenues for the development of quantum technologies. His contributions are foundational to modern quantum science and have the potential to revolutionize fields like cryptography, communication, and fundamental physics itself.

References

1. Leibfried, D., Knill, E., Seidelin, S. et al. Creation of a six-atom ‘Schrödinger cat’ state. Nature 438, 639–642 (2005). 
2. Wineland, D., Drullinger, R., & Walls, F. (1978). Radiation-Pressure Cooling of Bound Resonant Absorbers. Phys. Rev. Lett., 40, 1639–1642.
3. Monroe, C., Meekhof, D., King, B., Itano, W., & Wineland, D. (1995). Demonstration of a Fundamental Quantum Logic Gate. Phys. Rev. Lett., 75, 4714–4717.
4. Monroe, C., Meekhof, D., King, B., Jefferts, S., Itano, W., Wineland, D., & Gould, P. (1995). Resolved-Sideband Raman Cooling of a Bound Atom to the 3D Zero-Point Energy. Phys. Rev. Lett., 75, 4011–4014.
5. Itano, W., Heinzen, D., Bollinger, J., & Wineland, D. (1990). Quantum Zeno effect. Phys. Rev. A, 41, 2295–2300.
6. Monroe, C. R. and Wineland, D. J. (2008) Quantum Computing with Ions, Scientific American, August.
7. Yam, P. (1997) Bringing Schrödinger’s Cat to Life, Scientific American, June.