QUANTUM TRANSPORT

The course introduces fundamental concepts principles and techniques enabling the study of quantum dynamica of electrons and photons in coherent physical systems/architectures. These systems are currently investigated for applications to quantum information/communication and coherent control, in quantum thermodynamics, and in other research fields under the interdisciplinary umbrella encompassing research from "Quantum technologies" to conceptual foundations of the theory.

• Knowledge and understanding – Knowledge of the main ideas and theoretical/numerical techniques for the representation of complex quantum system and the study of their dynamics. Knowledge of the working principles of state of the art physical systems.
• Applying knowledge and understanding – Ability in the application of basic theoretical techniques and approximate schemes for the analysis and the simulation of dynamical processes in quantum systems. Ability in familiarizing with new opporunities offered by Quantum Technologies.
• Communication skills – Ability in communication in the field of Quantum Technologies, in the varoius interdisciplinary aspects.
• Learning skills – Acquiring skills allowing the continuous upgrade of the knowledge in the field, by accessing a research environment and specialized literature. Capability in evaluating job opporunities in the field of Quantum Technologies.

Main goals are:

• Learning basic conceptual and operational tools
  (basic concepts of quantum mechanics for information processing and communication, both for representation and dynamics; main physical systems used to detect quantum coherent effects and to process quantum information, from solid state nanodevices to atomic and photonic architectures; basic examples of quantum protocols)
• Know a bit about what’s going on in current fundamental and applied research
• Develop new skill and competencies
  (overview of theoretical techniques; ability to explore the use of quantum mechanics in different physical contexts of Quantum Technologies; ability to judge the state of the art and relative progress; acquire a basis to decide they you want to work in this field and come
  up with their own idea of how to do an interesting project)

1. Representation of quantum systems (12+2 h)
   Quantum bits, composite systems; physiscal systems (photons, nuclear spin, confined atoms, artificial atoms based on semiconductors/superconductors, cavities); algebra in Hilbert spaces and applications to quantum networks; examples; classical and quantum computation (seminar)
2. Bipartite and multipartite syestems (6+2 h)
   Density matrix; quantum measurement and von Neumann model; applications (superdense coding, no-cloning theorem, cryptography, quantum teleportation) Entanglement; EPR paradox and Bell inequality (seminar).
3. Quantum dynamics (12+2 h)
   Time evolution operator; pulsed dynamics; heisenberg and von Neumann equation and their phenomenological generalization to relaxation and dephasing; quantum systems in oscillatory fields; time-dependent unitary transformations (rotating frame, adiabatic frame, geometric phases)
4. Coherent nanosystems (4 h) (two or three of the following topics)
   NMR molecules in liquids; photons and atoms in cavities; artificial atoms and circuit QED; trapped ions and cold atoms; nanomechanical and nanoelectromechanical systems; topological excitations in condensed matter.
5. Selected topic (2 h) (seminar, one of the following topics)
   New quantum technologies for measuremet and sensing; open quantum systems; introduction to quantum information; introduction to quantum thermodynamics; introduction to quantum control theory.

See the italian version