Dr Harry Perlman working on Quantum theory

Nicolette Clark

We here present the results of a semester project to assemble a piezoelectric droplet generator to produce millimetric oil drops for use in experimental research of a macroscopic system analogous to Louis de Broglie’s pilot wave theory of quantum mechanics. The 3D-printed droplet generator is an inexpensive alternative to commercially-produced equipment and may be fabricated from readily available components. This droplet generator was constructed according to a design by Dr. Daniel Harris of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Harris Lab. We discuss the function and assembly of the droplet generator and recommend a modification to improve performance and ease of use.

Leszek Meissner

Multi-reference methods for the description of quasi-degenerate ground states and excited states of many-electron systems have been one of the main objectives of scientific activity at the Quantum Theory Project (QTP) University of Florida in Gainesville. The pioneering works by Dr. Per-Olov Löwdin on the partitioning technique, and important contributions to the development of multi-reference methods made by Dr. Monkhorst and Dr. Bartlett must be mentioned here. Dr. Bartlett, his group and its visitors have been especially active in this field. In this paper we describe some of the multi-reference developments, problems that have been faced and solved as well as those which still require solving. The focus is on multi-reference many-body perturbation theory and coupled-cluster approaches. We present recent advances and future perspectives in the development of these methods. Special attention is paid to two multi-reference approaches that seem very promising and have been either initiated or developed at QTP.

Russell K. McCormmach

Charles Paul Enz

Mankei Tsang

First and foremost I would like to thank my mentor, Professor Demetri Psaltis, for giving me the opportunity to come to Caltech and for his insightful advice about optics, research, and all aspects of life in academia. It has truly been a pleasure working with him in my four years at Caltech. I would also like to acknowledge my past and present group mates, who are all intelligent and capable, and from whom I have learned a great deal. I am especially grateful to Dr. Ye Pu and Dr. Martin Centurion, for their guidance when I worked briefly in the lab and for sharing with me their exciting experiment results; Jim Adleman and Dr. David Erickson, for all the driving in a long but enjoyable road trip to the DARPA workship in Sonoma; Lucinda Acosta, for her help in administrative tasks; and Yayun Liu, for her words of encouragement when I first started at Caltech. Furthermore, I would like to acknowledge Dr. Zhiwen Liu, Dr.