PH5250 Atomic and Molecular Physics... (3-0-0) s [alternate years]... 3Cr


Course Description:
An introduction to modern atomic, molecular, and optical physics. ] Special topics covered are cw field-atom interactions including atomic trajectory manipulation, laser theory, saturation spectroscopy, resonance fluorescence, quantum computing and Bose-Einstein condensation in atom traps.

Prerequisites: PH3210 and (PH4211 or PH5210) and (PH3411 or PH5410); or permission of the instructor.

Text: Elements of Quantum Optics. P. Meystre and M. Sargent III.

Syllabus

Week 1: Classical Electromagnetic Fields
Week 2: Classical Nonlinear Optics
Week 3: Quantum Mechanical Background
Week 4: Mixtures and the Density Operator
Week 5: CW Field Interactions
Week 6: Introduction to Laser Theory
Week 7: Saturation Spectroscopy
Week 8: Coherent Transients
Week 9: Field Quantization
Week 10: Interactions Between Atoms and Quantized Fields
Week 11: System-Reservoir Interactions
Week 12: Resonance Fluorescence
Week 13: Quantum Computing
Week 14: Bose-Einstein Condensation in Dilute Atomic Systems

Course Rationale
This course is a natural extension of classical electromagnetic theory, optics, and quantum mechanics to modern theory and experimentation. The course provides a brief review of classical electromagnetic foelds, nonlinear optics, and quantum mechanics. Current hot topics in AMO physics will be covered such as quantum computing, laser cooling and trapping, coherent control, and Bose-Einstein condensation. This course is accessible to undergraduates who have achieved a good grounding in classical optics, quantum mechanics, and electromagnetic theory.

Last Modified: Monday, 10-Jul-2000 14:25:28 EDT