Zoom: please contact amgrad@uwaterloo for the meeting link
Speaker
Richard Lopp | University of Waterloo
Title
Seminar Series: Light and Atoms
Please note: Seminar 1, Seminar 2 and Seminar 3 will be help on April 7th, 14th and 21st respectively at 12:00pm.
Abstract
The theory of light is of fundamental relevance in physics as it allows us to describe a huge range of phenomena and modern technologies. Simple in its idea, it can be however complicated in its details. Even at the classical level one faces subtleties associated with the gauge nature of the theory and the interpretation of what is physical. These matters are elevated when one considers quantum aspects. In this 3-part seminar series, we will discuss the mathematical formalism behind and the physical significance of quantum electrodynamics (QED) interacting with atoms. We will shine light upon the role of physical degrees of freedom, the constraints imposed by symmetries, and the relativistic nature of QED.