Faculty

Yoonseok Lee, University of Florida

After the discovery of topological insulators, the concept of topology permeated the various fields of condensed matter physics. Symmetry of a quantum system plays an intriguing role in close association with topology, expanding the range of topological quantum systems to superconductors/superfluids. Superfliuid 3He, which has been a prime example of symmetry breaking phase transition, is also recognized as a quantum system with various topological nature.

Thomas Aref, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

My research focuses on probing superconducting quantum bits or qubits with acoustic radiation in the form of surface acoustic waves (SAWs). This allows the investigation of sound interacting with artificial atoms on a quantum mechanical level, i.e. quantum acoustics with traveling phonons. We can then reproduce findings from quantum optics with sound taking over the role of light, highlighting the similarities between phonons and photons.

Emergence of quantum information science has led to a paradigm shift in communication systems. In the past couple of decades, quantum information processing tasks like quantum cryptography, dense coding, quantum teleportation etc. have been shown to have advantages over their classical counterparts and have also been successfully implemented in laboratories.

Angus Kan, Wesleyan University

The study of charged particles dynamics in a Paul trap is the foundation of its wide-ranging applications, including analyzing proteins, determining isotope ratios, and constructing a quantum computer. However, in the simplest case of two-particle dynamics, there remains a controversy on whether a two-ion planar crystal undergoes an order-to-chaos transition at a critical, well-defined trap parameter value. Via analytical and numerical investigation of the Mathieu-Coulomb equations, I show that the transition does not exist.

Gilles Brassard, Université de Montréal

It is generally believed that experimental violations of Bell's inequalities (especially the recent so-called loophole-free experiments) provide evidence that quantum theory cannot be both local and realistic. We demonstrate to the contrary that all reversible-dynamics no-signalling operational theories (including unitary quantum theory) can be given a local-realistic interpretation.

Seminar featuring Titas Chanda, Harish-Chandra Research Institute

Emergence of quantum information science has led to a paradigm shift in communication systems. In the past couple of decades, quantum information processing tasks like quantum cryptography, dense coding, quantum teleportation etc. have been shown to have advantages over their classical counterparts and have also been successfully implemented in laboratories.

Why a listing in London could make sense for Canadian early stage technology companies

Featured Speaker: Sarah Baker, Head of North American Strategic Engagement, London Stock Exchange Group

London is the most international stock market in the world, with more international companies listed than any other stock exchange.

Ana Asenjo Garcia - California Institute of Technology

Dissipation is a pervasive problem in many areas of physics. In quantum optics, losses curb our ability to realize controlled and efficient interactions between photons and atoms, which are essential for many technologies ranging from quantum information processing to metrology. Spontaneous emission - in which photons are first absorbed by atoms and then re-scattered into undesired channels - imposes a fundamental limit in the fidelities of many quantum applications, such as quantum memories and gates.

Yiwen Chu - Yale University

The ability to engineer and manipulate different types of quantum mechanical objects allows us to take advantage of their unique properties and create useful hybrid technologies. Thus far, complex quantum states and exquisite quantum control have been demonstrated in systems ranging from trapped ions to superconducting resonators. Recently, there have been many efforts to extend these demonstrations to the motion of complex, macroscopic objects.