The experimental groups at the Van Swinderen Institute are concerned with measurements at high precision. The common aim of many of our experiments is to test the foundations of physics. We do this by placing a sensitive system (which can be an molecule, ion, atom or other particle) in a completely controlled environment, so that its properties can be precisely measured. From a comparison with the precisely predicted properties of the system we can learn about the completeness of the underlying physics: the fundamental interactions and symmetries.
More information on our work with cold molecules to probe the electron-edm and on levitated nanoparticles can be found on www.eedm.nl and stevenhoekstra.owlstown.net.
More information on the research with trapped ions can be found here.