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Institute of Physics eBooks

Matter and waves

Marco Baldovin, Antoine Browaeys, J. M. De Teresa, Claudia Draxl, Frédéric Druon, Giacomo Gradenigo, Jean‐Jacques Greffet, F. Lépine, Jan Lüning, Lucia Reining, Pascal L. Salieres, Pierre Sénéor, L. O. Silva, Thomas Tschentscher, C. J. van der Beek, Antje Vollmer, Angelo Vulpiani

Published Mar 1, 2024• 2 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Chapter 3 presents an introduction and sections on: quantum many-body systems and emergent phenomena; the search for new materials; manipulating photons and atoms: photonics and nanophysics; extreme light; systems with numerous degrees of freedom;
DOI
10.1088/978-0-7503-6342-6ch3

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Matter and waves

Marco Baldovin, Antoine Browaeys, J. M. De Teresa +14 more

This chapter presents an introduction and sections on: quantum many-body systems and emergent phenomena; the search for new materials; manipulating photons and atoms: photonics and nanophysics; extreme light; systems with numerous degrees of freedom.

•Jan 1, 2025•0 citations

Quantum Physics of Light and Matter: A Modern Introduction to Photons, Atoms and Many-Body Systems

Luca Salasnich

•May 18, 2014•8 citations

Introduction

Xiao-Gang Wen

A quantitative change can lead to a qualitative change. The system with many degrees of freedom can demonstrate qualitatively new phenomena. This introductory chapter summarizes the principle of emergence, which states that the properties of material are mainly determined by the organizations (or the orders) of atoms in the material. The different organizations of microscopic degrees of freedom not only give rise to traditional symmetry breaking orders (such as crystal, magnets, superfluids, etc), they also give rise to new topological/quantum orders (such as fractional quantum Hall states, superconductors, etc). Those different orders lead to the rich properties of materials and phenomena that we see every day. The collective excitations in the new topologically ordered states can even be gauge bosons and fermions that satisfy Coulomb's law. So the principle of emergence in many-body systems may explain the origin of light and electrons, as well as the beauty in laws of physics.

Oxford University Press eBooks•Sep 6, 2007•0 citations

Dissipation and Interactions in Quantum Optics

Sina Zeytinoǧlu

Quantum optics, the study of light at the level of its building blocks, \nhas been one of the frontiers of science. The arena of quantum optics \nhas been fruitful for investigations of a wide range of interesting questions, \nfrom those on the fundamental structures in driven dissipative \nsystems to those on applications of quantum information processing \nand quantum communication. \nThe first part of this thesis is concerned with one of the holy grails \nof quantum optics: an efficient transfer of energy (coupling) between \nsingle photons and matter degrees of freedom. From a certain point \nof view, the problem of efficient coupling is purely geometrical. The \nefficiency of coupling between an atom and light is difficult because \nit is difficult to shape the wavefunction of a single photon such \nthat it overlaps perfectly with the matter degree of freedom (emitter). \nThe first contribution of this thesis is addressing this issue by considering \nan emitter which perfectly matches the single photon plane-wave. \nMoreover, luckily, such an emitter is already realized in nature in the \nform of a two-dimensional crystal. We show that a new generation \nof two-dimensional semiconductors, transition metal dichalcogenide \n(TMD) monolayers, have especially favorable characteristics for allowing \nhighly efficient coupling between photons and matter degrees \nof freedom. \nOne of the most important goals in realizing an efficient coupling \nbetween photons and matter degrees of freedom is that unlike photons, \nmatter excitations interact with each other. Hence, if we would \nlike to have photons which act as if they interact, one possible way \nis to first convert them into matter excitations, and then transfer the \ncorrelations due matter interactions back to photons. As the second \ncontribution of this thesis, we demonstrate that TMD monolayers placed \nwithin a cavity can help us create photons which avoid each other \nas if they interact. The effect can be simply understood as the TMD \nmonolayer acting as a filter for photons, such that it only allows the \npassage of one photon at a time. \nBesides being the fundamental building block of light, photons also \nserve as mediators of interactions between charged particles. In a \nsense, two positive charges repel each other because there is always \na photon which lets them know that they are close to one another. \nOn the other hand, systems of many interacting particles behave in \na completely different way then when they are alone. It may even be \nargued that all physical phenomena at some level emerge from the \nbehavior of many interacting constituents. Given this point of view, \nit is crucial to find ways to control photons in order to control the \ninteractions that they mediate between matter degrees of freedom. \nAs the third contribution of this thesis, we analyze an experimental \nscheme where the control of photonic degrees of freedom can allow \nan experimentalist to modify the strength and range of interactions \nbetween matter. In particular, we propose squeezed photon states as \na resource to control such interactions. \nThe second part of this thesis is concerned with the emergent phenomena \narising in a system of many interacting particles. In particular, \nthe fourth contribution of this thesis considers the combination \nof two fascinating phenomena which emerges such condensed matter \nsystems: superconductivity and geometric effects in lattice band \nstructures. Separately, both superconductivity and the non-trivial geometrical \neffects in lattice systems are well-established subfields of condensed \nmatter physics. Yet only more recently, the combination of \nthese two phenomena were investigated in the context of topological \nsuperconductors, as well as other superconducting states which emerge \non top of band structures with non-trivial geometry. In our study, \nwe attempt at clarifying one of the ways that the non-trivial geometry \nassociated with the lattice band structure may affect the dynamics of \nan emergent superconducting state. Surprisingly, our analysis shows \nthat one of the most robust characteristics of the superconductor, vortices \nenclosing a quantum of magnetic flux, can be modified due to \ngeometrical effects.

•Nov 1, 2019•0 citations

Quantum Physics of Light and Matter - Quantum Many-Body Systems

Luca Salasnich

Springer eBooks•Jan 1, 2020•0 citations

Mechanical effects of light

Dieter Suter

In the preceding chapters, we discussed the manipulation and observation of atomic variables associated with the internal degrees of freedom. A complete separation between internal and external degrees of freedom, like position and momentum, is not always possible, however. It therefore appears appropriate to include a discussion of the mechanical effects of light, which have received increasing attention in recent years. The transfer of momentum between photons and atoms, first observed more than sixty years ago, had to wait for the wide availability of lasers to become a useful experimental tool. In particular the cooling of atoms and atomic ions to very low temperatures has found numerous applications. Light-induced forces That light exerts mechanical forces on massive particles like atoms may appear surprising. To motivate the existence of such an effect two different approaches are possible. The first approach considers the light as a collection of photons that carry, apart from energy and angular momentum, linear momentum as well. Photons interacting with atoms can therefore change the momentum of the atoms. The second approach considers light as a wave, i.e., an inhomogeneous electromagnetic field interacting with the atomic dipole moment. Both approaches provide a possible description for the numerous phenomena that can occur in this context, but in many situations, one of them turns out to be more intuitive or more useful for calculations than the other.

Cambridge University Press eBooks•Oct 13, 1997•0 citations
A quantitative change can lead to a qualitative change. The system with many degrees of freedom can demonstrate qualitatively new phenomena. This introductory chapter summarizes the principle of emergence, which states that the properties of material are mainly determined by the organizations (or the orders) of atoms in the material. The different organizations of microscopic degrees of freedom not only give rise to traditional symmetry breaking orders (such as crystal, magnets, superfluids, etc), they also give rise to new topological/quantum orders (such as fractional quantum Hall states, superconductors, etc). Those different orders lead to the rich properties of materials and phenomena that we see every day. The collective excitations in the new topologically ordered states can even be gauge bosons and fermions that satisfy Coulomb's law. So the principle of emergence in many-body systems may explain the origin of light and electrons, as well as the beauty in laws of physics.
Quantum optics, the study of light at the level of its building blocks, \nhas been one of the frontiers of science. The arena of quantum optics \nhas been fruitful for investigations of a wide range of interesting questions, \nfrom those on the fundamental structures in driven dissipative \nsystems to those on applications of quantum information processing \nand quantum communication. \nThe first part of this thesis is concerned with one of the holy grails \nof quantum optics: an efficient transfer of energy (coupling) between \nsingle photons and matter degrees of freedom. From a certain point \nof view, the problem of efficient coupling is purely geometrical. The \nefficiency of coupling between an atom and light is difficult because \nit is difficult to shape the wavefunction of a single photon such \nthat it overlaps perfectly with the matter degree of freedom (emitter). \nThe first contribution of this thesis is addressing this issue by considering \nan emitter which perfectly matches the single photon plane-wave. \nMoreover, luckily, such an emitter is already realized in nature in the \nform of a two-dimensional crystal. We show that a new generation \nof two-dimensional semiconductors, transition metal dichalcogenide \n(TMD) monolayers, have especially favorable characteristics for allowing \nhighly efficient coupling between photons and matter degrees \nof freedom. \nOne of the most important goals in realizing an efficient coupling \nbetween photons and matter degrees of freedom is that unlike photons, \nmatter excitations interact with each other. Hence, if we would \nlike to have photons which act as if they interact, one possible way \nis to first convert them into matter excitations, and then transfer the \ncorrelations due matter interactions back to photons. As the second \ncontribution of this thesis, we demonstrate that TMD monolayers placed \nwithin a cavity can help us create photons which avoid each other \nas if they interact. The effect can be simply understood as the TMD \nmonolayer acting as a filter for photons, such that it only allows the \npassage of one photon at a time. \nBesides being the fundamental building block of light, photons also \nserve as mediators of interactions between charged particles. In a \nsense, two positive charges repel each other because there is always \na photon which lets them know that they are close to one another. \nOn the other hand, systems of many interacting particles behave in \na completely different way then when they are alone. It may even be \nargued that all physical phenomena at some level emerge from the \nbehavior of many interacting constituents. Given this point of view, \nit is crucial to find ways to control photons in order to control the \ninteractions that they mediate between matter degrees of freedom. \nAs the third contribution of this thesis, we analyze an experimental \nscheme where the control of photonic degrees of freedom can allow \nan experimentalist to modify the strength and range of interactions \nbetween matter. In particular, we propose squeezed photon states as \na resource to control such interactions. \nThe second part of this thesis is concerned with the emergent phenomena \narising in a system of many interacting particles. In particular, \nthe fourth contribution of this thesis considers the combination \nof two fascinating phenomena which emerges such condensed matter \nsystems: superconductivity and geometric effects in lattice band \nstructures. Separately, both superconductivity and the non-trivial geometrical \neffects in lattice systems are well-established subfields of condensed \nmatter physics. Yet only more recently, the combination of \nthese two phenomena were investigated in the context of topological \nsuperconductors, as well as other superconducting states which emerge \non top of band structures with non-trivial geometry. In our study, \nwe attempt at clarifying one of the ways that the non-trivial geometry \nassociated with the lattice band structure may affect the dynamics of \nan emergent superconducting state. Surprisingly, our analysis shows \nthat one of the most robust characteristics of the superconductor, vortices \nenclosing a quantum of magnetic flux, can be modified due to \ngeometrical effects.
In the preceding chapters, we discussed the manipulation and observation of atomic variables associated with the internal degrees of freedom. A complete separation between internal and external degrees of freedom, like position and momentum, is not always possible, however. It therefore appears appropriate to include a discussion of the mechanical effects of light, which have received increasing attention in recent years. The transfer of momentum between photons and atoms, first observed more than sixty years ago, had to wait for the wide availability of lasers to become a useful experimental tool. In particular the cooling of atoms and atomic ions to very low temperatures has found numerous applications. Light-induced forces That light exerts mechanical forces on massive particles like atoms may appear surprising. To motivate the existence of such an effect two different approaches are possible. The first approach considers the light as a collection of photons that carry, apart from energy and angular momentum, linear momentum as well. Photons interacting with atoms can therefore change the momentum of the atoms. The second approach considers light as a wave, i.e., an inhomogeneous electromagnetic field interacting with the atomic dipole moment. Both approaches provide a possible description for the numerous phenomena that can occur in this context, but in many situations, one of them turns out to be more intuitive or more useful for calculations than the other.