Quantum-optical spin glass

What is a quantum neural network and how might it exhibit computational advantage? Can we create a spin glass made of atomic spins and photons and use it to resolve longstanding mysteries surrounding spin-glass order?  We are tackling these fundamental and technologically relevant questions using our novel multimode cavity QED-BEC apparatus. The system provides strong, photon-mediated interactions among atoms trapped within the cavity resonator.  Photons virtually scattered among the atoms cause the system to superradiate and self-organize into various exotic forms of quantum matter such as quantum spin glasses---which can be used as quantum neural networks and associative memories---and quantum liquid crystals. As a first step toward the latter, we recently created a super solid that vibrates by forming an optical lattice with sound.