This book features the proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute "Manipulating Quantum Coherence in Solid State Systems", held in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, August 2005, which presented a fundamental introduction to solid-state approaches to achieving quantum computation. This proceedings volume describes the properties of quantum coherence in semiconductor spin-based systems and the behavior of quantum coherence in superconducting systems.
"This volume gives an overview of the manifestations of quantum coherence in different solid state systems, including semiconductor confined systems, magnetic systems, crystals and superconductors. Besides being of paramount importance in fundamental physics, the study of quantum coherence furnishes the starting point for important applications like quantum computing or secure data transmission. The coherent effects discussed mainly involve elementary excitations in solids like polaritons, excitons, magnons, macroscopic quantities like superconductor currents and electron spins. Also, several new aspects of the physics of quasi-particles are understood and discussed in this context. Due to the variety of systems in which quantum coherence may be observed, solid state systems are the natural candidates for applications that rely on coherence, for example quantum computer." --Book Jacket.
This thesis sheds new light on the worldwide first electrical manipulation of a single nuclear spin. Over the last four decades, the size of a bit, the smallest logical unit in a computer, has decreased by more than two orders of magnitude and will soon reach a limit where quantum phenomena become important. Inspired by the power of quantum mechanics, researchers have already identified pure quantum systems, having, analog to a classical bit, two controllable and readable states. In this regard, the inherent spin of electrons or nuclei with its two eigenstates, spin up and spin down, is a promising candidate. Using expertise in the field of single-molecule magnets, the author developed a molecular transistor, which allows quantum information to be written onto a single nuclear spin by means of an electric field only, and, in addition, enables the electronic read-out of this quantum state. This novel approach opens a path to addressing and manipulating individual nuclear spins within a very confined space (a single molecule), at high speed. Thus, the author was able to show that single molecule magnets are promising candidates for quantum information processing, which is triggering a new field of research towards molecular quantum electronics.
Physics at the beginning of the twenty-first century has reached new levels of accomplishment and impact in a society and nation that are changing rapidly. Accomplishments have led us into the information age and fueled broad technological and economic development. The pace of discovery is quickening and stronger links with other fields such as the biological sciences are being developed. The intellectual reach has never been greater, and the questions being asked are more ambitious than ever before. Physics in a New Era is the final report of the NRC's six-volume decadal physics survey. The book reviews the frontiers of physics research, examines the role of physics in our society, and makes recommendations designed to strengthen physics and its ability to serve important needs such as national security, the economy, information technology, and education.
The field of atomic, molecular, and optical (AMO) science underpins many technologies and continues to progress at an exciting pace for both scientific discoveries and technological innovations. AMO physics studies the fundamental building blocks of functioning matter to help advance the understanding of the universe. It is a foundational discipline within the physical sciences, relating to atoms and their constituents, to molecules, and to light at the quantum level. AMO physics combines fundamental research with practical application, coupling fundamental scientific discovery to rapidly evolving technological advances, innovation and commercialization. Due to the wide-reaching intellectual, societal, and economical impact of AMO, it is important to review recent advances and future opportunities in AMO physics. Manipulating Quantum Systems: An Assessment of Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics in the United States assesses opportunities in AMO science and technology over the coming decade. Key topics in this report include tools made of light; emerging phenomena from few- to many-body systems; the foundations of quantum information science and technologies; quantum dynamics in the time and frequency domains; precision and the nature of the universe, and the broader impact of AMO science.
Towards Solid-State Quantum Repeaters: Ultrafast, Coherent Optical Control and Spin-Photon Entanglement in Charged InAs Quantum Dots summarizes several state-of-the-art coherent spin manipulation experiments in III-V quantum dots. Both high-fidelity optical manipulation, decoherence due to nuclear spins and the spin coherence extraction are discussed, as is the generation of entanglement between a single spin qubit and a photonic qubit. The experimental results are analyzed and discussed in the context of future quantum technologies, such as quantum repeaters. Single spins in optically active semiconductor host materials have emerged as leading candidates for quantum information processing (QIP). The quantum nature of the spin allows for encoding of stationary, memory quantum bits (qubits), and the relatively weak interaction with the host material preserves the spin coherence. On the other hand, optically active host materials permit direct interfacing with light, which can be used for all-optical qubit manipulation, and for efficiently mapping matter qubits into photonic qubits that are suited for long-distance quantum communication.
During the last few years cavity-optomechanics has emerged as a new field of research. This highly interdisciplinary field studies the interaction between micro and nano mechanical systems and light. Possible applications range from novel high-bandwidth mechanical sensing devices through the generation of squeezed optical or mechanical states to even tests of quantum theory itself. This is one of the first books in this relatively young field. It is aimed at scientists, engineers and students who want to obtain a concise introduction to the state of the art in the field of cavity optomechanics. It is valuable to researchers in nano science, quantum optics, quantum information, gravitational wave detection and other cutting edge fields. Possible applications include biological sensing, frequency comb applications, silicon photonics etc. The technical content will be accessible to those who have familiarity with basic undergraduate physics.
Volume 43 of Advances in Solid State Physics contains the written versions of most of the plenary and invited lectures of the Spring Meeting of the Condensed Matter Physics section of the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft held from March 24 to 28, 2003 in Dresden, Germany. Many of the topical talks given at the numerous and very lively symposia are also included. They covered an extremely interesting selection of timely subjects. Thus the book truly reflects the status of the field of solid state physics in 2003, and explains its attractiveness, not only in Germany but also internationally.
This book highlights the findings and achievements in the major research plan “Detection and Interaction of Single Quantum States” funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). The 8-year plan started in 2011 and consisted of 107 projects conducted by Chinese universities and research institutes. The book covers the plan's research background, achievements, and follow-up prospects. The plan aimed to tackle one of the major challenges for researchers worldwide—to establish precise detection and control of single quantum states in time, space, energy, and momentum. The plan integrated precise detection means with the ultrahigh resolution of time, space, and energy, under extreme conditions such as ultrahigh vacuum, ultralow temperature, high magnetic field, and ultrahigh pressure, using interdisciplinary research methods in physics, chemistry, informatics, and materials science. The book focuses on the exploration of new phenomena, theories, and concepts of single quantum states, describes new techniques and methods of single quantum states, and presents the purification and construction of single-quantum-state systems. It is a concise and valuable source of information for researchers in quantum science and graduate students interested in the research field.
The book is devoted to the theory describing the interaction of ultra-short electromagnetic pulses (USP) with matter, including both classical and quantum cases. This theme is a hot topic in modern physics because of the great achievements in generating USP. Special attention is given to the peculiarities of UPS-matter interaction. One of the important items of this book is the derivation and applications of a new formula which describes the total photo-process probability under the action of USP in the framework of perturbation theory. Strong field-matter interaction is also considered with the use of the Bloch formalism in a two-level approximation for UPS with variable characteristics.
