Course Catalogue

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The aim of this course is to introduce some of the basic techniques that are commonly used in a quantum optics lab.

A short series of lectures will provide an overview of the basic techniques and recent examples of important scientific developments in the following topics:

1) Generation of entangled photon pairs

2) Single-photon detection techniques and measurement of photon entanglement

3) Ghost imaging

4) Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometry

The course will also involve home reading of original research articles that will be assigned during the course. Time slots will then be devoted to discuss these articles.

Following the lectures, a series of lab-based experiments will be carried out with the aim of investigating specific aspects of the technologies discussed during the lectures. These will be group-based projects (around 3-4 students per project) with the expectation that each group will perform at least 2 out of 4 of the planned experiments.

Lectures will be used during the first 3 weeks of the course and will involve a self-taught component of reading original research articles that will be assigned during the course. Time slots will then be devoted during each lecture to discuss these articles.

Following the lectures, a series of lab-based experiments will be carried out with the aim of investigating specific aspects of the technologies discussed during the lectures. These will be group-based projects (roughly 3-4 students per project) with the expectation that each group will perform at least 2 out of 4 of the planned experiments. This will take place during week 4-9.

The final week will be allocated for project presentations, to be marked by academic staff members. Students will provide peer feedback.

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1) Continuous assessment based on in-lab exercises and writing up of formal reports of the laboratory experiments carried out (50%).

2) Essay/Report on research papers and topics introduced during the lecture module (25%).

3) End-of-course oral presentation/examination to test knowledge (25%). This will be marked by academics.

To provide students with an opportunity to develop knowledge and understanding of the key physical principles underpinning widely used techniques in quantum optics. Students will cover practical sessions in the following areas:

1) Generation of entangled photon pairs

2) Single photon detection techniques and measurement of photon entanglement

3) Ghost imaging

4) Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometry

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1) Describe how the basic elements of a quantum optics experiment work, including single-photon detection and photon-pair generation/detection

2) Describe the basic operating principle of a single photon avalanche diode

3) Describe the physical concepts underlying the Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometer

4) Describe the operating principle of ghost imaging and how to build a ghost imaging setup using both a quantum light source and a classical light source

5) Describe at least one approach to analysing the degree of entanglement between two photons

6) Demonstrate a quantum optics setup which utilises either entangled photon pairs, single photon detection techniques or ghost imaging

7) Describe how the basic elements of a quantum interferometer work.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.