Learning of the basic concepts and principal methodologies of experimental physics, through the realization of some fundamental experiments in quantum condensed matter physics.
Course Prerequisites
Basic notions of quantum physics, electromagnetism, optics.
Teaching Methods
Frontal lessons and laboratory. Each one of the proposed experiments is preceded by the explanation of the basic theoretical concepts, of the experimental techniques employed and of its scientific/applicative relevance. Afterwards, the student is followed step by step in the realization of the experiments, with particular attention to the critical analysis of the experimental data and its contextualization within the theoretical model.
Assessment Methods
A scientific report on each of the realized experiments will be required at the end of the course. The examination consists in the oral presentation of one of the scientific report, focusing in particular on the theoretical background and the experimental methodologies employed.
Texts
Course notes. G. Grinberg, A. Aspect and C; Fabre, "Introduction to quantum optics", Cambridge University press (2010); Bahaa E. A. Saleh, Malvin Carl Teich, “Fundamentals of Photonics”, 2nd edition, Wiley; R. Loudon, “The Qauntum Theory of light”, Oxford University Press (2008).
Contents
Realization of some fundamental experiments in quantum condensed matter physics. (1) Zeeman effect: study of the atomic level splitting of Sodium and Cadmium in a constant magnetic field and determination of the Bohr magneton. (2) Granger experiment and the Hanboury-Brown-Twiss interferometer: measurement of the second order correlation function g^2(0) for a single photon state and experimental demonstration of the existence of the photon. Experimental verification of the particle-wave dualism by means of single-photon interference. (3) Two-photon interference: Hong-Ou-Mandel effect and determination of the coherence length of a one-photon wave packet. Generation of polarisation entangled photon pairs by spontaneous parametric downconversion in a nonlinear crystal. (4) Experimental verification of entanglement: measurement of polarisation correlations and experimental verification of the Bell theorem. The course will also focus on some important experimental and theoretical aspects concerning optics, electronics, optoelectronics, experimental physics, noise reduction and data analysis. concerning optics, electronics, optoelectronics, experimental physics, noise reduction and data analysis.
