Physics 421: Contemporary Atomic Physics (Spr 19)

Welcome! In this course we will cover core topics and discuss areas of current interest in atomic, molecular and optical (AMO) physics. The course material can be thematically grouped into the following areas: The internal structure of the atom and how it can be manipulated with electromagnetic fields; The atom as a two-level system and its radiation-driven internal and external dynamics (eg. Rabi oscilliations, laser cooling); Interactions between atoms (eg. collisions, molecules); Fundamental atomic systems of current interest: eg, Bose-Einstein condensates, strongly-interacting Fermi gases, trapped ions for precision measurement and quantum computing; Advanced applications of atomic physics such as the atomic clock which is key to time-keeping and the global positioning system (GPS); Emergent applications of atomic physics such as in quantum simulation and in quantum information processing.

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Below you will find links to the course information, schedule and syllabus, as well as to some useful resources outside of the class. For homeworks, solutions, and lecture notes please see the Canvas site for the class.

Course Information

Links to Useful Resources