Joint Colloquium MBI and Humboldt University
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Max Born Institute for Nonlinear Optics and Short Pulse Spectroscopy, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Newtonstraße 15,
12489 Berlin
Lise-Meitner-Haus, Christian Gerthsen Lecture Hall (Room 1.201)
Why photons? A psychoanalytic portrait of a scientist as a mature man
Prof. Maciej Lewenstein
ICFO - The Institute of Photonic Sciences, Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
I will start with the origins: Maxwell theory, present five reasons to quantize, or maybe four? I will then discuss quantum theory of optical coherence, answering the question: How to reconcile Maxwell with photons? I will describe shortly coherent states and squeezed states. I will then turn to strong field physics, starting with a historical introduction and description of the present times, where semi-classical theory is sufficient. I will then mention the generation of Schrödinger cat states within atto-physics, answering the question: yes, we do need photons.
At the end, I will discuss three mechanisms to exhibit quantumness of EM fields:
- Conditioning/post selection + applications
- Nonlinear effects induced by depletion/interband transitions, or dipole correlations
- Use quantum fields
The Colloquium will be held in “hybrid” form. You can either join in person or via zoom.