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arXiv:2604.24829

The Legacy of Enrico Fermi to Varenna

Vladislav Gavryusev, Massimo Inguscio

physics.hist-phcond-mat.quant-gasphysics.atom-phquant-phSubmitted Apr 27, 2026• Announced Apr 28, 2026

Abstract

The Varenna school is a hub where generations of physicists, including numerous Nobel laureates, have shaped the field, often through collaborative exchanges across political and cultural boundaries. We examine the scientific legacy of Enrico Fermi and its influence on modern atomic, molecular, and optical physics. Beginning with Fermi's 1954 lectures at the Varenna school, key developments are traced from high-energy physics to laser spectroscopy, precision metrology, and the control of ultracold atoms. Milestones such as Doppler-free spectroscopy, optical frequency combs, Bose-Einstein condensation, and degenerate Fermi gases are highlighted as turning points leading to quantum simulation and quantum computation. Fermi's early advocacy for building a computer, rather than buying it, can be viewed as a precursor to today's efforts in quantum science and technologies. This historical trajectory and legacy continues to inform current research in quantum matter and information science.

Comments: This manuscript has been submitted to appear in the Proceedings of the Course 214 "Quantum Computers and Simulators with Atoms" of the International School of Physics "Enrico Fermi" (Varenna, July 2024)

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