Quantum Optics and Lasers

Course manual 2019/2020

Course content

This course deals with light as quantized photons. We will look at the properties of photons and how these properties are manipulated in state-of-the-art interferometers used for the detection of gravitational waves. Furthermore, we look at interaction of light and matter, particularly at phenomena that can only be explained by treating light as a stream of photons rather than as electromagnetic waves. We will end with discussing the ground breaking experiments of Serge Haroche and David Wineland for which they received the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Study materials

Literature

• Fox, ‘Quantum Optics: 'An Introduction’, Oxford University Press, 2006.

Syllabus

• Lecture Notes (will be uploaded to Canvas).

Objectives

• The goal of this course is that students understand light and light-matter interactions.
• The students are able to explain the concepts of spatial and temporal coherence and apply these concepts.
• The students are able to explain the principle of LASER action using rate-equations based on the Einstein coefficients and understand the properties of laser light (intensity, frequency, bandwidth, beam size and divergence).
• The students are able to explain concepts from quantum optics such as photons, photon noise, 2nd order coherence, bunching and anti-bunching, and squeezing, and perform calculations with them.
• The students are able to explain the quantum mechanical description of light-matter interaction, including concepts such as the Rabi oscillations and the Bloch sphere, and understand the relation with a semi-classical description. Calculate the shape and width of spectral lines given a certain experimental condition.
• The students are able to understand the ground breaking experiments of Serge Haroche with atoms in cavities and David Wineland with trapped ions for which they received the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Teaching methods

• Lecture
• Seminar
• Fieldwork/excursion
• Presentation/symposium

In the lectures the theoretical basics of Quantum Optics will be explained. During the seminars the  students will apply this knowledge with practical problems. During the Lab visit, the student will see some implementations of the techniques discussed during the lectures. The student will analyse a paper and present a summary of it. 

Learning activities

Academic skills

This is a theoretical course with limited attention to academic skills. The students will present a paper on the foundations of Quantum Optics (the grade for the presentation will only count if it raises the final mark).

Attendance

Programme's requirements concerning attendance (TER-B):

• Each student is expected to participate actively in each component of the programme that he/she signed up for. A student that does not attend the first two seminars of a course, will be administratively removed from the seminar group. A request for reregistration for the seminars can be applied to the programme coordinator.
• If a student cannot attend an obligatory component of a programme's component due to circumstances beyond his control, he must report in writing to the relevant teacher as soon as possible. The teacher, if necessary after consulting the study adviser, may decide to issue the student a replacing assignment.
• It is not allowed to miss obligatory commponents of the programme if there is no case of circumstances beyond one's control.
• In case of participating qualitatively or quantitatively insufficiently, the examiner can expel a student from further participation in the programme's component or a part of that component. Conditions for sufficient participation are set down in advance in the course manual.
• In addition to the above mentioned rules, in the first semester of the first year a student should be present in at least 80% of the seminars. Moreover, participation to midterm tests and obligatory homework is required. If the student does not comply with these obligations, the student is expelled from the resit of this course. Students in the double Bachelor's degree programme Mathematics and Physics are exempted from this requirement. In case of personal circumstances, as described in OER-A Article A-6.4, a different study plan will be made in consultation with the study advisor.

Assessment

The student is allowed to take handwritten (A4, one sided) notes with him/her to the exam.  

Inspection of assessed work

The students will be informed via Canvas where and when they are able to see their exam.

Assignments

Home work assignments (10% of grade),  Presentation (20% of grade), the grade for the presentation and assignments will only count if it raises the final mark).

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Timetable

The schedule for this course is published on DataNose.

Processed course evaluations

2019/2020 is the first year QO&L is given in this form.

Contact information

Coordinator

• Hendrick Bethlem

Staff

• Wander van der Meer