Hosten Group
Quantum Sensing with Atoms and Light
The Hosten Group aims to develop innovative techniques to control quantum properties of atomic, optical, and mechanical systems with an eye towards applications in the domain of quantum-enabled technologies and precision sensing, as well as in fundamental science.
The group’s research focuses on developing new sensing methods that gainfully utilize quantum mechanical phenomena. By manipulating the collective properties of cold atomic ensembles in optical cavities, or mechanical systems coupled to optical cavities, they seek to investigate and gainfully utilize concepts of quantum entanglement, quantum measurement, and light-assisted atomic interactions to develop new sensing techniques, e.g., for force or acceleration sensing, or making ultra-precise clocks, while gaining insight into fundamental aspects of quantum mechanics. Using these sensors, the long-term goal is to explore challenging experimental questions such as the interplay between quantum mechanics and gravity and the nature of dark matter.
Group Leader
Administrative Support
Team
Current Projects
Motionally entangled atoms in optical cavities | Milligram-scale oscillators in the quantum regime | Laser technologies for precision sensing | Hybrid atomic-mechanical systems | Gravity at the milligram scale
Publications
Agafonova S, Rosello P, Mekonnen M, Hosten O. 2026. One-milligram torsional pendulum toward experiments at the quantum-gravity interface. Communications Physics. 9, 80. View
Wald S. 2025. Atoms in a propagating-wave cavity for squeezed Mach-Zehnder atom interferometry. Institute of Science and Technology Austria. View
Seabrook H, Lavie E, Strömberg KT, Stafford MP, Rubino G. 2025. Surpassing the loss-noise robustness trade-off in quantum key distribution. Physical Review Applied. 24(2), 024072. View
Kun D, Strömberg KT, Spagnolo M, Dakić B, Rozema LA, Walther P. 2025. Direct and efficient detection of quantum superposition. Physical Review A. 111(5), L050402. View
Abdalla A et al. 2025. Terrestrial Very-Long-Baseline Atom Interferometry: Summary of the second workshop. EPJ Quantum Technology. 12, 42. View
ReX-Link: Onur Hosten
Career
Since 2018 Assistant Professor, Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA)
2015 – 2017 Research Associate, Stanford University, Palo Alto, USA
2010 – 2015 Postdoctoral Scholar, Stanford University , Palo Alto, USA
2010 PhD, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
Selected Distinctions
2023 ERC Consolidator Grant
2011 Outstanding Doctoral Theses in AMO Physics (top four), American Physical Society
2010 Karl van Bibber Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Stanford University
2010 Pappalardo Postdoctoral Fellowship (offered), Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2008 Ross J. Martin Award for Outstanding Research Achievement, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
