Patrícia Christina Marques Castilho
Physics
Patrícia Christina Marques Castilho is a physicist fascinated by quantum phenomena in ultracold gases. She holds a degree in physics from the Federal University of São Carlos, a master’s degree, and a Ph.D. from the Institute of Physics of São Carlos (IFSC). Her impressive background includes a research fellowship at the European Laboratory for Nonlinear Spectroscopy (LENS) in Italy and a postdoctoral position at the Collège de France.
She is currently a professor at the IFSC, studying how dissipative mechanisms influence superfluidity in quantum systems.
Her interests extend beyond physics to include a passion for film, which she cultivated through a degree in image and sound parallel to her postgraduate studies. This versatility stems from a diverse background, including childhood experiences with the violin, painting, and Olympic gymnastics. Her artistic spirit continues to flourish through reading, writing, and making music with her daughters.
Projects
Ultracold atomic gases cooled to a few hundred nano kelvins exhibit macroscopic quantum properties, including superfluidity. In this state, the gas flows without viscosity, and any “rotation” is manifested only by the formation of quantized vortices. These vortices are not unique to ultracold gases; they also occur in superfluid helium and type-II superconductors when an external magnetic field penetrates the material. In these systems, dissipation typically results from the motion of these vortices in the presence of a current, leading to friction or finite resistance. This project investigates how dissipative mechanisms associated with the dynamics of quantized vortices affect the coherence properties of an atomic superfluid. In addition, we will explore links between these effects and phenomena observed in superconducting systems.
