Scientific Literacy in Quantum Optics

Scientific Literacy: You should know...

In each research area the basics of scientific literacy will be different, though a broad
background in physics and an analytical approach will be important for all. In Quantum
Optics, we feel that you can't consider yourself scientifically literate unless you have the
following general background. The list below should help guide you to cover most of
what you need for this general literacy; you'll very probably need considerably more
depth in the area immediately supporting your proposed PhD research, and your advisor
may set additional requirements.

EM waves and optics

• Maxwell's equations, wave equation, Helmholtz equation, electric susceptibility,non-
local response in time & frequency, dielectric function, dielectric tensor
• Snell's Law, geometrical optics & aberrations, Fresnel reflection
• polarization, birefringence, manipulation of polarization states
• time & frequency domain pictures; Fourier transforms, power spectrum,
autocorrelation
• temporal and spatial coherence , Wiener-Khintchine theorem, van Cittert-Zernicke
Theorem
• Fresnel & Fraunhofer diffraction theory, gaussian beam optics, optical resonators,
optical fibers
• classical atom-models, basic models of optical dispersion: Lorentz model, Drude
model, Kramers-Kronig relation, plasma-wave dispersion, photonic band-gap crystals
•
Texts: e.g., Modern Optics, Fowles; Jackson; Principles of Optics, Born and Wolf;
Fourier Optics, Goodman:

Semiclassical optics
• Einstein A and B coefficients, spontaneous & stimulated emission
• Laser theory: semiclassical, single-mode and multi-mode, spatial modes, principles
of pulsed and mode-locked operation, principles of single-line operation, basic laser
types
• Two-level atoms: Rabi flopping, Bloch sphere, area theorem, broadening
mechanisms, T1 & T2, pulse echoes, slowly varying amplitude approximation, cavity
QED
Texts: e.g., Lasers, Siegman; Lasers, Milonni and Eberly; Laser Spectroscopy,
Wolfgang Demtröder

Basics of QM for optics

• time-dependent & time-independent perturbation theory, adiabatic rapid passage,

Fermi's Golden Rule, scattering theory
• symmetries & conservation laws, Heisenberg equations of motion
• dipole matrix elements, selection rules, density matrix formalism

Texts: e.g., Modern Quantum Mechanics, Sakurai; Quantum Mechanics, C. Cohen-

Tannoudji, B. Diu and F. Laloë; Quantum Mechanics, Landau & Lifshitz

Atomic physics and condensed-matter physics

• Multi-level atoms: fine & hyperfine splitting, selection rules, Raman

transitions,optical pumping, atoms in static fields
• Basics of band structure: Bloch theorem, phonons & photons & polaritons, direct &
indirect bandgaps
• Principles of radiation transport: extinction, scattering, opacity

Texts: e.g., Elementary Atomic Structure by G.K. Woodgate, Atomic Physics by C. J.

Foot; Ashcroft & Mermin; Kittel; Theory of Atomic Structure and Spectra, Cowan
(advanced)

Quantum Optics

• Quantisation of electromagnetic field: annihilation & creation operators, spont &

stimulated emission & relation to A&B coefficients, Hanbury-Brown-Twiss & photon
correlations, squeezed states, coherent states
• Quantum interactions of light and matter: Master Equation, Mollow triplet, Autler-
Townes doublet, electromagnetically-induced transparency,...
Texts: Loudon; Sargent, Scully, Lamb; Walls & Milburn; Scully & Zubairy

Nonlinear optics

• series expansion, SHG & DFG, symmetries & nonlinear coefficients, self-phase
modulation, four-wave mixing, self-focussing, bright & dark solitons, non-perturbative
effects, phase conjugation
• parametric conversion, optical parametric oscillators, optical parametric amplification
spontaneous parametric down-conversion
• applications: frequency-doubling, autocorrelation measurements, high-order
nonlinear spectroscopy, saturated-absorption spectroscopy
•
Texts: Nonlinear Optics, R.W. Boyd; The Principles of Nonlinear Optics, Y.R. Shen;
Quantum Electronics, A. Yariv