Are the fundamental constants of Nature really constant? How can we build clocks that lose only a few seconds on the entire life of the Universe? This book answers these questions by illustrating the history and the most recent advances in atomic physics connected to the possibility of performing precise measurements and achieving the ultimate control of the atomic state. Written in an introductory style, this book is addressed to undergraduate and graduate students, as well as to more experienced researchers who need to stay up-to-date with the most recent advances. It is not a classical atom ... More

Are the fundamental constants of Nature really constant? How can we build clocks that lose only a few seconds on the entire life of the Universe? This book answers these questions by illustrating the history and the most recent advances in atomic physics connected to the possibility of performing precise measurements and achieving the ultimate control of the atomic state. Written in an introductory style, this book is addressed to undergraduate and graduate students, as well as to more experienced researchers who need to stay up-to-date with the most recent advances. It is not a classical atomic physics textbook, in which the focus is on the theory of atomic structures and on light-matter interaction: it focuses on the experimental investigations, illustrating milestone experiments and key experimental techniques, as well as discussing the results and the challenges of contemporary research. Emphasis is given to the investigation of precision physics: from the determination of fundamental constants to tests of general relativity and quantum electrodynamics, from the realization of atomic clocks and interferometers to the precise simulation of condensed matter theories with ultracold gases. The book discusses these topics while tracing the evolution of experimental atomic physics from traditional laser spectroscopy to the revolution introduced by laser cooling, which allows the manipulation of atoms at a billionth of a degree above absolute zero, opening new frontiers in precision in atomic spectroscopy and revealing novel states of matter.