Enrollment year
2014/2015
Academic discipline
FIS/03 (MATERIAL PHYSICS)
Department
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS
Curriculum
FISICA TEORICA
Period
1st semester (13/10/2014 - 23/01/2015)
Lesson hours
48 lesson hours
Prerequisites
Quantum Mechanics and electromagnetism (at undergraduate level). The first part of the course will be devoted to a revision of all the necessary notions.
Learning outcomes
Gaining a “physical intuition” on Quantum Mechanics using Quantum Optics as a tool to that aim; training for research (acquisition of working knowledge): calculation and simulation techniques, analysis and mathematical description of experimental devices, estimation theory.
Course contents
1. Revision of quantum mechanics (to fix the notation and the formal system), revision of classical electromagnetism.
2. Quantization of the free electromagnetic field and matterfield interactions through the minimal coupling Hamiltonian.
3. Algebric methods for quantum mechanics.
4. Quantum states of radiation.
5. Quantum interference and quantum superposition (various topical quantum optics experiments will be analyzed).
6. Open quantum systems (Master equations and CPmaps).
7. Detection theory in quantum optics.
Teaching methods
The lectures are blackboardlectures (no powerpoint). Interactions (questions, observations and feedback) are encouraged.
Reccomended or required readings
Scully, Zubairy, “Quantum Optics”, Cambridge University Press;
Gerry, Knight, “Introductory Quantum Optics”, Cambridge University Press;
Further elaborations: Mandel, Wolf, “Optical Coherence and Quantum Optics”, Cambridge University Press.
(All the above texts are present in the department library.)
Assessment methods
Oral examination. Please contact the teacher to fix the examination date.
Further information
Oral examination. Please contact the teacher to fix the examination date.
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