Strack, PhilippSachdev, Subir2012-01-302011Strack, Philipp, and Subir Sachdev. 2011. Dicke quantum spin glass of atoms and photons. Physical Review Letters 107(27): 277202.1079-71140031-9007http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:8063397Recent studies of strongly interacting atoms and photons in optical cavities have rekindled interest in the Dicke model of atomic qubits coupled to discrete photon cavity modes. We study the multimode Dicke model with variable atom-photon couplings. We argue that a quantum spin-glass phase can appear, with a random linear combination of the cavity modes superradiant. We compute atomic and photon spectral response functions across this quantum phase transition, both of which should be accessible in experiments.en-USquantum gasesdisordered systems and neural networksJournal Article2012-01-3010.1103/PhysRevLett.107.277202