An experimental physicist who uses ultracold atoms to study interacting quantum matter, with contributions to optical-lattice phase transitions and microscopy that resolves individual atoms.
Harvard UniversityarXiv / NatureGreiner’s research makes complex quantum matter available for controlled experimental study. His work in Munich helped observe a transition between superfluid and Mott-insulating behavior in an optical lattice. His later coauthored quantum-gas-microscope experiment made individual atoms in a lattice directly accessible to imaging. These contributions matter for quantum simulation because the value of a model system depends on both preparing its states and observing how its microscopic constituents behave.
Harvard UniversityarXiv / NatureDefining contributions
Work, in context- Year not documented
Observing a quantum phase transition
Greiner and colleagues in Munich observed a transition from a superfluid to a Mott insulator by loading ultracold atoms into an optical lattice. Harvard identifies this experiment as part of his work on strongly correlated quantum systems.
Experimental collaborator in the Munich optical-lattice team; Harvard attributes the observation to Greiner and colleagues.
Source-supported recordHarvard University - 2009
A microscope for individual atoms
Greiner coauthored an experiment demonstrating a quantum gas microscope that detected individual atoms in an optical lattice in the Hubbard regime. The approach opened a more detailed view of the microscopic states used in quantum simulation.
Coauthor of the quantum-gas-microscope experiment with Bakr, Gillen, Peng and Fölling.
Source-supported recordarXiv / Nature
Keep in perspective
A date is omitted for the phase-transition milestone because the reviewed institutional biography does not supply one.
Follow the evidence
2 sourcesPrimary papers, institutional records and attributed announcements. Each source supports the claims linked above.
- Harvard Universityinstitutional biography
Markus Greiner
Current professorial identification and optical-lattice phase-transition contribution.
Checked 2026-09-19 - arXiv / Natureprimary research
A quantum gas microscope detecting single atoms in a Hubbard-regime optical lattice
Greiner coauthorship and single-atom imaging experiment.
Published 2009-08-03 · Checked 2026-09-19