Quantum optics

Quantum optics is the study of light and its interaction with matter at the level of individual photons and atoms. Applications of quantum optics include laser theory, manipulation of individual atoms (for quantum clocks, to create ultracold atoms), quantum communication (quantum key distribution), quantum computing (quantum logic gates), and fundamental topics such as entanglement. Advances in quantum optics continue to be rapid and exciting. The goal of the course is to provide an overview of the theory of quantum optics and its uses for both fundamental physics experiments and applications. In the first part of the course, we study the different states of light: thermal states, coherent states emitted by lasers, squeezed states, single-photon states, entangled states. We study the associated notions of coherence, the corresponding statistical distributions, and how they can be measured. The second part of the course is devoted to light-matter interaction at the quantum level. Applications include: optical forces, optical cooling, quantum computing with ions. The third part of the course is devoted to contemporary topics in quantum optics that use the topics discussed above. This includes single-photon and photon-pair sources, and their applications, including quantum computing, teleportation, quantum key distribution, quantum memories for light, super-resolution.

After the course the student will be able to start reading specialized litterature in the field and understand conference presentations. (S)He will not only master the formalism of the quantum optics, but also understand the most important experimental techniques for generating and detecting quantum states of light. More specifically, the student will get insight into the quantization of the electromagnetic field, quantum and classical coherence theory, direct and correlated photon counting methods, spontaneous emission and Purcell enhancement, few-photon interferometry, laser cooling and trapping of atoms, generation of single photons and photon- pairs, cavity quantum electrodynamics, quantum information processing.

Required and Corequired knowledge and skills

 

on-site classes and on-line video + question and answer sessions.
A lab session is conditioned on the number of students enrolled in the class.

Contribution to the teaching profile

 

References, bibliography, and recommended reading

1 M. Fox, Quantum optics – An introduction, Oxford University Press (2006)
2 R. Loudon, The quantum theory of light, Oxford University Press (2000)
3 P. Lambropoulos and D. Petrosyan, Fundamentals of quantum optics and quantum information, Springer (2007)

4 J. W. Goodman, Statistical optics, John Wiley & Sons  (2000)
5 L. Mandel and E. Wolf, Optical coherence and quantum optics, Cambridge University Press  (1995)
6 M. O. Scully and M. S. Zubairy, Quantum optics, Cambridge University Press (1997)

Course notes

• Université virtuelle
• Podcast

Additional information

 

Contacts

Stéphane Clemmen
Serge Massar

Campus

Plaine

Method(s) of evaluation

• Oral examination

Oral examination

Oral exam

Mark calculation method (including weighting of intermediary marks)

 

Language(s) of evaluation

• english
• (if applicable french )