Seminars:
Caltech has a large community of quantum science researchers, and there are a number of interesting seminars with regular quantum content. Upcoming talks can be found here: https://qse.caltech.edu/talks
Teaching:
Ph137b, Atoms and Photons: Quantum Optics
Instructor: Manuel Endres
Term: Winter terms
Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:30am
Room: Lauritsen 469
Note: Ph137a is NOT a prerequisite. Ph137b can be taken independently and focuses on teaching important formal approaches and concepts that are essential for understanding modern day quantum science experiments based on atomic or solid-state systems.
Nonetheless, have a look here for Ph137a, the first part of 'Atoms and Photons', taught by Nick Hutzler.
Topics:
1. Review of semi-classical description (quantized matter + classical light):
- Driven two-level system in all its glory
- Bloch sphere
2. Full quantum description (quantized matter + quantized light):
- Quantization of the EM field
- Quantum states of the EM field: Fock states, coherent states
- Coupling of quantized field to two-level atom: dressed state + quantum Rabi-oscillations
- Wigner-Weisskopf theory of spontaneous emission
3. Open system methods:
- Introduction to entanglement and reduced density operators
- Master equation formalism
- Decoherence and its connection to entanglement
- Quantum jump formalism
4. Applications (selection depending on time left and students' interest):
- What is a photon?: Photon wave-packets and detection
- Cavity QED
- Intro to ultracold quantum gases, including optical lattices and Hubbard models
- Optical tweezers and Rydberg interactions
- ...
Primary resource:
LaTex PDF lecture notes will be provided.
Books and online resources:
There is no single book that covers the whole course. Content is drawn from multiple sources and some parts are difficult to find in books. Anyway, here are some recommendations:
Catalog entry:
Ph 137 abc. Atoms and Photons. 9 units (3-0-6); first, second terms. Prerequisites: Ph 125 abc or equivalent, or instructor’s permission. This course will provide an introduction to the interaction of atomic systems with photons. The main emphasis is on laying the foundation for understanding current research that utilizes cold atoms and molecules as well as quantized light fields. First term: resonance phenomena, atomic/molecular structure, and the semi-classical interaction of atoms/molecules with static and oscillating electromagnetic fields. Techniques such as laser cooling/trapping, coherent manipulation and control of atomic systems. Second term: quantization of light fields, quantized light matter interaction, open system dynamics, entanglement, master equations, quantum jump formalism. Applications to cavity QED, optical lattices, and Rydberg arrays. Third term [not offered 18-19]: Topics in contemporary research. Possible areas include introduction to ultracold atoms, atomic clocks, searches for fundamental symmetry violations, synthetic quantum matter, and solid state quantum optics platforms. The emphasis will be on reading primary and contemporary literature to understand ongoing experiments. Instructors: Hutzler, Endres.
Caltech has a large community of quantum science researchers, and there are a number of interesting seminars with regular quantum content. Upcoming talks can be found here: https://qse.caltech.edu/talks
Teaching:
Ph137b, Atoms and Photons: Quantum Optics
Instructor: Manuel Endres
Term: Winter terms
Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:30am
Room: Lauritsen 469
Note: Ph137a is NOT a prerequisite. Ph137b can be taken independently and focuses on teaching important formal approaches and concepts that are essential for understanding modern day quantum science experiments based on atomic or solid-state systems.
Nonetheless, have a look here for Ph137a, the first part of 'Atoms and Photons', taught by Nick Hutzler.
Topics:
1. Review of semi-classical description (quantized matter + classical light):
- Driven two-level system in all its glory
- Bloch sphere
2. Full quantum description (quantized matter + quantized light):
- Quantization of the EM field
- Quantum states of the EM field: Fock states, coherent states
- Coupling of quantized field to two-level atom: dressed state + quantum Rabi-oscillations
- Wigner-Weisskopf theory of spontaneous emission
3. Open system methods:
- Introduction to entanglement and reduced density operators
- Master equation formalism
- Decoherence and its connection to entanglement
- Quantum jump formalism
4. Applications (selection depending on time left and students' interest):
- What is a photon?: Photon wave-packets and detection
- Cavity QED
- Intro to ultracold quantum gases, including optical lattices and Hubbard models
- Optical tweezers and Rydberg interactions
- ...
Primary resource:
LaTex PDF lecture notes will be provided.
Books and online resources:
There is no single book that covers the whole course. Content is drawn from multiple sources and some parts are difficult to find in books. Anyway, here are some recommendations:
- Photons and Atoms - Introduction to Quantum Electrodynamics, Cohen-Tannoudji (I will reference this one multiple times throughout the course for certain foundational aspects that I only glance over.)
- Introduction to Quantum Optics, Grynberg (Good modern book)
- Introductory Quantum Optics, Gerry/Knight (Has many basics nicely explained)
- Quantum and Atom Optics, Steck (free syllabus)
- AMO II, Lukin (free syllabus)
Catalog entry:
Ph 137 abc. Atoms and Photons. 9 units (3-0-6); first, second terms. Prerequisites: Ph 125 abc or equivalent, or instructor’s permission. This course will provide an introduction to the interaction of atomic systems with photons. The main emphasis is on laying the foundation for understanding current research that utilizes cold atoms and molecules as well as quantized light fields. First term: resonance phenomena, atomic/molecular structure, and the semi-classical interaction of atoms/molecules with static and oscillating electromagnetic fields. Techniques such as laser cooling/trapping, coherent manipulation and control of atomic systems. Second term: quantization of light fields, quantized light matter interaction, open system dynamics, entanglement, master equations, quantum jump formalism. Applications to cavity QED, optical lattices, and Rydberg arrays. Third term [not offered 18-19]: Topics in contemporary research. Possible areas include introduction to ultracold atoms, atomic clocks, searches for fundamental symmetry violations, synthetic quantum matter, and solid state quantum optics platforms. The emphasis will be on reading primary and contemporary literature to understand ongoing experiments. Instructors: Hutzler, Endres.