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Atomic and Laser Physics
Credit: Jack Hobhouse

Jesse Schelfhout

DPhil Student

Research theme

  • Quantum optics & ultra-cold matter

Sub department

  • Atomic and Laser Physics

Research groups

  • AION/Magis
jesse.schelfhout@physics.ox.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)1865 282401
Clarendon Laboratory, room Old Library
ORCiD record
Google Scholar profile
  • About
  • Behind the scenes
  • Posters
  • Fine-structure constant
  • Publications

I am a third-year DPhil student with the AION/MAGIS group seeking to use cutting-edge quantum technology to investigate gravitational waves, dark matter, and fundamental physics, including the interface of quantum mechanics and general relativity! I am currently investigating the use of a 10m differential atom interferometer with strontium to determine the fine-structure constant, which facilitates the highest precision comparison between theory and experiment in all of science. You can read more about this in the publications below.

 

"Are there any 'real world' applications for atom interferometry?": Yes, several, including finding underground cavities, measuring the rotation of the Earth, monitoring volcanic activity, and navigating ships.

 

Prior to Oxford, I studied Physics and Mathematics at the University of Western Australia. My honours and master's research involved conducting atomic structure calculations for ytterbium, mercury, and cadmium atomic clocks, and working towards upgrading UWA's ytterbium atomic clock to an optical lattice clock. I also have research experience with a cosmic ray muon detector at the MWA and simulations of particle trajectories in electromagnetic fields for fusion applications.

Research interests

atom interferometry
fundamental physics
quantum technology

Selected publications

Single-photon large-momentum-transfer atom interferometry scheme for Sr or Yb atoms with application to determining the fine-structure constant

Physical Review A: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics American Physical Society 110:5 (2024) 053309
Jesse Schelfhout, Thomas Hird, Kenneth Hughes, Christopher Foot

A Prototype Atom Interferometer to Detect Dark Matter and Gravitational Waves

ArXiv 2504.09158 (2025)
CFA Baynham, R Hobson, O Buchmueller, D Evans, L Hawkins, L Iannizzotto-Venezze, A Josset, D Lee, E Pasatembou, BE Sauer, MR Tarbutt, T Walker, O Ennis, U Chauhan, A Brzakalik, S Dey, S Hedges, B Stray, M Langlois, K Bongs, T Hird, S Lellouch, M Holynski, B Bostwick, J Chen, Z Eyler, V Gibson, TL Harte, CC Hsu, M Karzazi, C Lu, B Millward, J Mitchell, N Mouelle, B Panchumarthi, J Scheper, U Schneider, X Su, Y Tang, K Tkalcec, M Zeuner, S Zhang, Y Zhi, L Badurina, A Beniwal, D Blas, J Carlton, J Ellis, C McCabe, G Parish, D Pathak Govardhan, V Vaskonen, T Bowcock, K Bridges, A Carroll, J Coleman, G Elertas, S Hindley, C Metelko, H Throssell, JN Tinsley, E Bentine, M Booth, D Bortoletto, N Callaghan, C Foot, C Gomez-Monedero, K Hughes, A James, T Leese, A Lowe, J March-Russell, J Sander, J Schelfhout, I Shipsey, D Weatherill, D Wood, MG Bason, K Hussain, H Labiad, AL Marchant, TC Thornton, T Valenzuela, SN Balashov, P Majewski, D Newbold, MGD van der Grinten, Z Pan, Z Tam, I Wilmut, K Clarke, A Vick

Centralized design and production of the ultra-high vacuum and laser-stabilization systems for the AION ultra-cold strontium laboratories

AVS Quantum Science American Vacuum Society 6:1 (2024) 014409
B Stray, O Ennis, S Hedges, S Dey, M Langlois, K Bongs, S Lellouch, M Holynski, B Bostwick, J Chen, Z Eyler, V Gibson, TL Harte, CC Hsu, M Karzazi, J Mitchell, N Mouelle, U Schneider, Y Tang, K Tkalcec, Y Zhi, K Clarke, A Vick, K Bridges, J Coleman, G Elertas, L Hawkins, S Hindley, K Hussain, C Metelko, H Throssell, CFA Baynham, O Buchmüller, D Evans, R Hobson, L Iannizzotto-Venezze, A Josset, E Pasatembou, BE Sauer, MR Tarbutt, L Badurina, A Beniwal, D Blas, J Carlton, J Ellis, C McCabe, E Bentine, M Booth, D Bortoletto, C Foot, CM Gómez-Monedero Castellanos, T Hird, K Hughes, A James, A Lowe, J March-Russell, J Schelfhout, I Shipsey, D Weatherill, D Wood, S Balashov, MG Bason, J Boehm, M Courthold, M van der Grinten, P Majewski, AL Marchant, D Newbold, Z Pan, Z Tam, T Valenzuela, I Wilmut

Terrestrial Very-Long-Baseline Atom Interferometry: summary of the second workshop

EPJ Quantum Technology SpringerOpen 12:1 (2025) 42
Adam Abdalla, Mahiro Abe, Sven Abend, Mouine Abidi, Monika Aidelsburger, Antun Balaž, Hannah Banks, Rachel L Barcklay, Michele Barone, Michele Barsanti, Mark G Bason, Angelo Bassi, Aleksandar Belić, Shayne Bennetts, Daniela Bortoletto, Oliver Buchmueller
See all publications

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