Tag: Photonics/Quantum Optics

PH 4999 Quantum Optics for Huskies Spring 2016

Quantum Optics
Quantum Optics for Huskies

This course is a very elementary introduction to the concept of the photon and how it evolved since it was first introduced to solve the black body mystery. We will glance over Einstein’s contribution to developing the notion of the photon and and its statistical nature. Interestingly, Einstein later become a strong opponent to the very concept that he created. That will take us to his famous EPR (Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen) paper that declared quantum mechanics is incomplete. Moving ahead, we will study the ingenious work by John Bell who showed for the first time that the questions raised by Einstein can be tested experimentally. We will learn about some of these experiments and how the concept of photon entanglement was born. We will also discuss some interesting developments in the field, such as
and quantum communications.

Instructor: Ramy El-Ganainy
Course title: Quantum Optics for Huskies
Course credit: 1.0
Class time: Wednesdays 4:00 – 5:00 (subject to change later)
Course number: PH4999
Course description: An introduction to the concept of light quanta and its evolution over the past century; from black body radiation to photon entanglement and quantum communication.

Jacek Borysow Interviewed on Department Improvements

Jacek Borysow Department Improvements
Jacek Borysow

Local students will soon see big improvements in the physics department

Elizabeth and Richard Henes see great potential in Michigan Tech’s physics department. Five years ago, a Tech professor impressed them by using a mouse trap to demonstrate quantum mechanics.

“There are only certain states, like energy [or] velocity which are allowed for the molecule. A mouse trap has only 2 states. One when the spring is loose and one when it is, how do you call it, set. Mr. Henes said thank you for the lecture and handed us a check for seven hundred thousand dollars,” said Jacek Borysow, a Physics Professor at the University.

Read more and watch the video at ABC 10 UP, by Amanda L’Esperence.

Ramy El-Ganainy is a Guest Focus Editor for New Journal of Physics

NJPAssistant Professor of Physics Ramy El-Ganainy is a co-guest editor for an upcoming “focus on” issue article in the New Journal of Physics (NJP). The focus is entitled “Parity-Time Symmetry in Optics and Photonics.” Focus issue articles are invited-only contributions from experts in the field. They provide an overview of the current status of this research field and serve as a guiding compass for future developments.

NJP articles are open access and completely free to read. NJP offers the unusual opportunity for authors to submit video abstracts as a new content stream. Video media enable authors to go beyond the constraints of the written article and to further increase the visibility of the authors and their work.

NJP “focus on” articles are published incrementally during their windows for submissions. For “Parity-Time Symmetry in Optics and Photonics,” the window for submissions is August 1, 2015 to February 15, 2016.