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Institute of Physics eBooks

Discovery of quantum optics

Nikola Šibalić, Charles S. Adams

Published Jan 1, 2024• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

History of discovery of quantum optics, packed with experimental observations, ever more comprehensive theories and proposals narrowing down the quantum in optics. All enabled with a constant stream of technologies allowing new experiments, up to the present moment. A number of important cross-field idea transfers between radio wave technology and optical technology are also highlighted.

DOI
10.1088/978-0-7503-2628-5ch2

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History of discovery of quantum optics, packed with experimental observations, ever more comprehensive theories and proposals narrowing down the quantum in optics. All enabled with a constant stream of technologies allowing new experiments, up to the present moment. A number of important cross-field idea transfers between radio wave technology and optical technology are also highlighted.
In this chapter we review the ideas and discoveries that lead to the development of quantum mechanics. Like other theories in physics, it was motivated by a series of experimental results that were at odds with the prevailing theories of the time. New concepts were introduced to explain those experiments, which in turn led to new experiments and more discoveries. Quantum mechanics took its current shape about 100 years ago and continues to provide a formidable framework for describing not only natural phenomena but also for leading us to new technologies, such as quantum information processing.
More than a century after the beginning of the quantum revolution, historians continue to explore new facets in the history of quantum physics, and to re-examine some of its better-known aspects. The thirteen papers collected in this volume, by authors from five continents, present central trends in the current study of quantum physics within its theoretical, experimental, philosophical, technological and social contexts. They discuss developments from the late nineteenth to the early twenty-first century and go beyond the traditional focus on Europe and North America to include China and Japan, and beyond the Heisenbergs and Diracs to reveal the role of actors who hitherto have played only a marginal role in historical account, but left their mark on the development of quantum physics. Also a wider array of subdisciplines comes into view, from optics to quantum gravity through quantum electrodynamics, from atomic and nuclear to condense matter physics and foundations of physics. Moreover, the volume shows that fields such as dispersion, physical chemistry and solid state physics should not be seen merely as areas of applications of ideas that evolved in other contexts, but should be regarded as birthplaces of important theoretical insights. The perspective of the papers ranges from local histories to global discussions, from conceptual changes via the role of experimentation to interactions with social and technological forces and to the interpretation of the theory.
Taking as its point of departure the discovery of the Higgs boson, this article considers quantum theory, including quantum field theory, which predicted the Higgs boson, through the combined perspective of quantum information theory and the idea of technology, while also adopting anon-realistinterpretation, in 'the spirit of Copenhagen', of quantum theory and quantum phenomena themselves. The article argues that the 'events' in question in fundamental physics, such as the discovery of the Higgs boson (a particularly complex and dramatic, but not essentially different, case), are made possible by the joint workings of three technologies: experimental technology, mathematical technology and, more recently, digital computer technology. The article will consider the role of and the relationships among these technologies, focusing on experimental and mathematical technologies, in quantum mechanics (QM), quantum field theory (QFT) and finite-dimensional quantum theory, with which quantum information theory has been primarily concerned thus far. It will do so, in part, by reassessing the history of quantum theory, beginning with Heisenberg's discovery of QM, in quantum-informational and technological terms. This history, the article argues, is defined by the discoveries of increasingly complex configurations of observed phenomena and the emergence of the increasingly complex mathematical formalism accounting for these phenomena, culminating in the standard model of elementary-particle physics, defining the current state of QFT.
This chapter looks at the experimental evidence towards the end of the nineteenth century that showed that classical mechanics failed when it was applied to very small particles and when the transfers of energy were very small. It discusses classical mechanics and shows how it predicts a precise trajectory for particles, with specified locations and moments at each instant. It also describes experiments which have showed that energy was transferred only in discrete amounts and showed that electromagnetic radiation behaves like a stream of particles. The chapter analyzes how electrons, which had been supposed to be particles since their discovery in 1897, can behave like waves. It reviews the translational, rotational, and vibrational modes of motion that are excited to any energy simply by controlling the forces that are applied.
This narrative review examines the current state of knowledge regarding Quantum Optics within the broader context of Physics. We survey the theoretical foundations, methodological approaches, and key findings that have shaped the field, identifying major themes and tracing the evolution of ideas over time. The review synthesizes evidence from multiple research traditions and highlights both established conclusions and areas of ongoing debate. Particular attention is given to recent advances that have opened new avenues for investigation and to the practical implications of theoretical developments. We conclude with a discussion of the most promising directions for future research, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and methodological innovation.