Condensed matter

Nicolas Bergeal & Arthur Margerite

Mixed theoretical/experimental class covering light-matter interaction in condensed matter systems and applications to advanced photonic and opto-electronic devices including for quantum technologies.

Mini-experimental projects (3x4h) in research labs

Computational physics plays a central role in all fields of physics, from classical statistical physics, soft matter problems, and hard-condensed matter. Our goal is to cover the very basic concepts underlying computer simulations in classical and quantum problems, and connect these ideas to relevant contemporary research problems in various fields of physics. In the TD’s you will also learn how to set, perform and analyse simple computer simulations by yourself. We will use Python, but no previous knowledge of this programming language is needed.

The main goal of the course is to study the light-matter interaction at the fundamental level where one two-level system interacts with a single mode of the electromagnetic field. 

The lecture will first presents the fundamental concept of cavity quantum electrodynamics (Jaynes–Cummings model, resonant and dispersive interaction, Schrödinger cat states of light) and then moves to the more recent developments of circuit QED. 

The aim of this lecture is to provide a description of quantum transport in disordered systems, with an emphasis on important phenomena like weak localization, Anderson localization and the Anderson metal-insulator transition. During the lecture, a number of important theoretical tools needed to describe quantum particle scattering in the presence of spatial disorder will be introduced in a pedagogical fashion, such as the Green's function technique, diagrammatic approaches to weak localization and transfer matrices. The lectures will be also illustrated by experimental examples and tutorials, especially taken from the physics of quantum gases and  condensed matter.