
<p>This episode of the <em>Physics World Weekly</em> podcast features <a href="https://www.nist.gov/people/william-d-phillips">William Phillips</a>, who shared the 1997 Nobel Prize for Physics for his work on cooling and trapping atoms using laser light.</p>
<p>In a wide-ranging conversation with <em>Physics World</em>’s Margaret Harris, Phillips talks about his long-time fascination with quantum physics – which began with an undergraduate project on electron spin resonance. Phillips chats about quirky quantum phenomena such as entanglement and superposition and explains how they are exploited in atomic clocks and quantum computing. He also looks to the future of quantum technologies and stresses the importance of curiosity-led research.</p>
<p>Phillips has spent much of his career at US’s National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) in Maryland and he also a professor of physics at the University of Maryland.</p>
<div class="box-section"><h2 class="box-section__title"></h2></p>
<p><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-119548 size-full" src="https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Atlas-Technologies-logo.jpg" alt="" width="1412" height="648" srcset="https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Atlas-Technologies-logo.jpg 1412w, https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Atlas-Technologies-logo-211x97.jpg 211w, https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Atlas-Technologies-logo-1024x470.jpg 1024w, https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Atlas-Technologies-logo-317x145.jpg 317w, https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Atlas-Technologies-logo-768x352.jpg 768w, https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Atlas-Technologies-logo-872x400.jpg 872w, https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Atlas-Technologies-logo-732x336.jpg 732w, https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Atlas-Technologies-logo-720x330.jpg 720w, https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Atlas-Technologies-logo-635x291.jpg 635w, https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Atlas-Technologies-logo-350x161.jpg 350w, https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Atlas-Technologies-logo-257x118.jpg 257w, https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Atlas-Technologies-logo-300x138.jpg 300w, https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Atlas-Technologies-logo-160x73.jpg 160w, https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Atlas-Technologies-logo-128x59.jpg 128w" sizes="(max-width: 1412px) 100vw, 1412px" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>This podcast is supported by <a href="https://www.atlasuhv.com/">Atlas Technologies</a>, specialists in custom aluminium and titanium vacuum chambers as well as bonded bimetal flanges and fittings used everywhere from physics labs to semiconductor fabs.</p>
<p>
</div>
<div class="box-section"><h2 class="box-section__title"></h2></p>
<p><a class="no-caption size-thumbnail" href="https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/IYQ-logo-stacked-blue.png" data-featherlight=""><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-118548" src="https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IYQST-logo-box-272x317.png" alt="" width="272" height="317" srcset="https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IYQST-logo-box-272x317.png 272w, https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IYQST-logo-box-181x211.png 181w, https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IYQST-logo-box-879x1024.png 879w, https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IYQST-logo-box-768x895.png 768w, https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IYQST-logo-box-343x400.png 343w, https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IYQST-logo-box-354x412.png 354w, https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IYQST-logo-box-352x410.png 352w, https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IYQST-logo-box-635x740.png 635w, https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IYQST-logo-box-169x197.png 169w, https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IYQST-logo-box-166x193.png 166w, https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IYQST-logo-box-215x250.png 215w, https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IYQST-logo-box-77x90.png 77w, https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IYQST-logo-box-110x128.png 110w, https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IYQST-logo-box.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 272px) 100vw, 272px" /></a></p>
<p>This article forms part of <i>Physics World</i>&#8216;s contribution to the <a title="https://quantum2025.org/en/about/" href="https://quantum2025.org/en/about/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>2025 International Year of Quantum Science and Technology</strong></a> (IYQ), which aims to raise global awareness of quantum physics and its applications.</p>
<p>Stayed tuned to <em>Physics World</em> and our international partners throughout the next 12 months for more coverage of the IYQ.</p>
<p><a href="https://physicsworld.com/c/quantum/"><span data-teams="true">Find out more on our quantum channel.</span></a></p>
<p>
</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>


Podurama

Home

Trending

Personal

Your Podcasts

New Episodes

My Files

Favourite Episodes

Tags (Folders)

Recently Played

Bookmarks

Followed Playlists

William Phillips: Nobel laureate talks about his passion for quantum physics

Physics World Weekly Podcast

AI Chapters

AI Insights

Reviews