QUANTUM PHYSICS WITH ATOMS AND IONS

Description The course gives an introduction to quantum phenomena with atoms and ions (and also superconductors) which are currently under intensive investigations: Bose-Einstein condensation, topological quantum states, macroscopic quantum tunneling and Josephson effect, and BCS-BEC crossover. Both experimental and theoretical methods and techniques will be discussed and analyzed. Some lectures will be given by Prof. Francesco Minardi (Univ. of Bologna). Period: January 2024 - February 2024. Exam: Seminar of the student on a specific topic of the course.

Syllabus 1. Bose-Einstein condensation with ultracold alkali-metal atoms (4 h). 2. Experimental trapping techniques for atoms and ions (4 h). 3. Topological states with ultracold atoms: quantized vortices and dark solitons. Bright solitons (4 h). 4. Superfluid hydrodynamics for bosons and fermions. Macroscopic quantum tunneling and Josephson junctions (4 h). 5. Two-dimensional systems: topological phase transition of Kosterlitz-Thouless (2 h). 6. BCS theory for superconductors and fermionic atoms. Ginzburg-Landau equation (2 h). 7. BCS-BEC crossover for atoms (4 h). Slides Quantum physics with atoms and ions Experimental trapping techniques for atoms and ions (Prof. Francesco Minardi) Quantized vortices of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation Superfluids and superfluid hydrodynamics Topological quantum matter and Kosterlitz-Thouless transition Josephson effect with BECs and superconductors Josephson junctions (Dott. Andrea Bardin) Ginzburg-Landau equation Attractive fermions and the BCS-BEC crossover BCS superconductivity and BCS-BEC crossover (Dott.ssa Maria Lanaro) Suggested books [b1] L. Salasnich, Quantum Physics of Light and Matter, sections 6.3, 6.6, 7.2-7.8, 8.2-8.4 (Springer, 2017). [b2] H.T.C. Stoof, K.B. Gubbels, D.B.M. Dickerscheid, Ultracold Quantum Fields, sections 15.3 and 15.4 (Springer, 2009). [b3] D. McKay, B. De Marco, Cooling in strongly correlated optical lattices: prospects and challenges, Rep. Prog. Phys. 74, 054401 (2011).