【Date and Time】12-August-2024 10am (Beijing time)

【Venue】Room 526

【Host】Li You ( Tsinghua Univ. & BAQIS)

【Title】Wave function collapse, quantum jumps and Schrodinger’s Ichthyosauria

【Speaker】 

Klaus Molmer is professor at the Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen. He has contributed to the theory of damped and monitored quantum systems, quantum computing and sensing, quantized light-matter interactions. Klaus Molmer is a devoted contributor to public outreach activities, including talks, articles, a textbook, and collaborations with musicians, composers, ballet dancers and choreographers.

【Abstract】

From the early days of quantum mechanics until today, physicists have discussed the role played by probabilities and the nature of the collapse of the state of quantum systems subject to measurement. Erwin Schr?dinger tried to dismiss these problems by declaring that quantum theory applies exclusively to large ensembles of particles, governed by mean values and absent of randomness.  As late as 1952, Schrodinger claimed the very idea of experiments with single quantum particles to be “as absurd as the one of raising Ichthyosauria in the Zoo”.
 
A variety of single quantum systems are now routinely subject to experimental investigation in the laboratory. In the talk, I shall review methods used to control and describe the behavior of these “Ichthyosauria” in the quantum laboratory. I shall also demonstrate how exploration of these systems have inspired recent extensions to our understanding of what is a quantum state. Finally, I shall show examples of how the random jump behavior of quantum systems may truly benefit their applications in crucial technologies such as quantum information processing and quantum metrology.