Physics Colloquium

Quantum optics investigates the interactions between light and matter at their most fundamental level. In recent years, we have witnessed remarkable advances in controlling individual photons and other excitations, such as spin, charge, excitons, and phonons, in solid-state systems. While this progress has primarily been driven by quantum information science (QIS), its implications extend far beyond QIS. In this talk, I will present two key examples. First, I will review the field of topological photonics, highlighting how optical nonlinearity can give rise to unique bosonic phenomena—without electronic counterparts—such as topological frequency combs and topological sources of quantum light. Next, I will discuss how optical control techniques can introduce a radically new approach for preparing, detecting, and manipulating correlated electronic states. This includes new ways of inducing and enhancing magnetism, superconductivity, and topological phases in matter, as well as the prospect of addressing some of the long-standing questions in the field.

Join via Zoom:
https://caltech.zoom.us/j/89860951893
Meeting ID: 818 6692 9019

The colloquium is held in Feynman Lecture Hall, 201 E. Bridge.