Quantum optics and photonics (MVSem)

Sommersemester 2026
Dozent: Prof Julian Schmitt
13 Teilnehmer/innen

The seminar provides an introduction to quantum optics and photonics. We will focus on landmark experiments that shaped our understanding of the quantum nature of light and its interaction with matter. The topics build on one another, highlighting how experimental capabilities enabled new physics. Beginning with the foundations of photon statistics and coherence, the seminar progresses through single-photon generation, light–matter coupling, entanglement, and nonclassical states of light, and explore how these concepts are implemented in modern platforms. Each topic is anchored by key papers that exemplify both conceptual insight and experimental technique. Participants should be familiar with quantum mechanics, atomic physics, optics, and electrodynamics.

Please indicate your preferred topics by Monday, 13/04, at 9:00 o’clock under https://forms.gle/RpiKvFamfPZSDRxN6

First meeting: Monday, 13/04, at 14:15 o'clock in Seminar room 03.404 (KIP, INF 227).

 

To complete the seminar:

- students prepare slides and present talk (approx. 30 minutes) emphasising the physical ideas behind their topic, experimental design, and interpretation of results

- complete discussion round after talk

- actively participate in all presentations and discussions

- submit 2-page summary about their topic by the end of the seminar

 

Topics : 

- What is “Quantum” about Light?

- Measuring Single Photons

- Light–Matter Interaction

- Nonlinear Quantum Optics

- Entanglement

- Quantum States of Light

- Quantum Information with Photons

- Integrated & Solid-State Platforms

- Computational Experiments

- Cavity Optomechanics, Bose-Einstein condensates of photons

- Photonic Quantum Simulators

 

Learning goals:

- understanding and explaining key concepts of quantum optics and photonics, including theoretical models and experiments

- critical reading of research literature and placing modern quantum science experiments in their conceptual context

- developing presentation skills and communication of advanced topics through presentations and scholarly discussion

Übungsgruppen

Vorträge

  • Mo   4.5.2026 14:15   Photon Statistics (*)
    Hanbury Brown–Twiss Experiment, Intensity correlations, Coherence functions, Poissonian vs. super- and sub-Poissonian, Photon bunching
  • Mo   4.5.2026 15:15   Single Photons & Antibunching
    Photon antibunching, Single emitters, Resonance fluorescence, Quantum light sources, g²(0) measurements
  • Mo   18.5.2026 14:15   Light-Matter-Interaction
    Jaynes–Cummings model, Rabi oscillations, Atom–field coupling, Quantum collapse and revival, Cavity QED
  • Mo   18.5.2026 15:15   Strong Coupling in Cavity QED
    Strong coupling regime, Cavity enhancement, Light–matter hybridization, Cooperativity, Quantum networks
  • Mo   1.6.2026 14:15   Generation of Entangled Photons
    Spontaneous Parametric Down-Conversion, Nonlinear quantum optics, Photon pairs, Energy–momentum conservation, Entangled states
  • Mo   1.6.2026 15:15   Hong–Ou–Mandel Two-Photon interference
    Two-photon interference, Indistinguishability, Beam splitters, Quantum interference, Coincidence detection
  • Mo   8.6.2026 14:15   Bell Inequalities with entangled Photons (*)
    Entanglement, Local realism, Entanglement, Nonlocality, Polarization correlations
  • Mo   8.6.2026 15:15   Loophole-Free Bell Tests
    Detection loophole, Locality loophole, Device independence, Quantum foundations, Experimental rigor
  • Mo   15.6.2026 14:15   Squeezed States
    Squeezing, Quantum noise, Heisenberg limit, Phase sensitivity, Metrology
  • Mo   15.6.2026 15:15   Schrödinger Cat States
    Macroscopic superpositions, Decoherence, Wigner functions, Nonclassical states, Quantum measurement
  • Mo   22.6.2026 14:15   Quantum Key Distribution (*)
    QKD protocols, No-cloning theorem, Security proofs, Single photons, Quantum communication
  • Mo   22.6.2026 15:15   Quantum Teleportation
    Quantum teleportation, Bell-state measurement, Entanglement resource, Quantum communication, State transfer
  • Mo   29.6.2026 14:15   Quantum Dots as Single-Photon Sources
    Solid-state emitters, Quantum dots, On-demand photons, Integration, Spectral purity
  • Mo   29.6.2026 15:15   Integrated Quantum Photonics
    Waveguide optics, On-chip interferometry, Scalability, Photonic circuits, Quantum integration
  • Mo   6.7.2026 14:15   Linear Optical Quantum Computing
    Measurement-induced nonlinearity, Ancilla photons, Postselection, Quantum gates
  • Mo   6.7.2026 15:15   Boson Sampling
    Multiphoton interference, Computational complexity, Random unitary networks, Sampling problems, Quantum advantage
  • Mo   13.7.2026 14:15   Cavity Optomechanics
    Radiation pressure, Mechanical quantization, Cooling to ground state, Hybrid systems, Quantum control
  • Mo   13.7.2026 15:15   Bose-Einstein Condensates of photons (*)
    Quantum gases, phase transitions, Bose-Einstein statistics, BE condensation, critical particle number, trapping potentials, optical cavities, second-order correlations
  • Mo   20.7.2026 14:15   Photonic Quantum Simulators
    Quantum simulation, Analog photonics, Programmable circuits, Many-body physics, Scalability
  • Mo   20.7.2026 15:15   Frontiers: The Quantum Internet
    Quantum networks, Entanglement distribution, Repeaters, Long-distance communication, Future architectures
zum Seitenanfang
Quantum optics and photonics (MVSem)
Sommersemester 2026
Schmitt J
13 Teilnehmer/innen
Termine