TIDE 135-01

Mysteries of the Quantum World

Fall 2009

 

Professors:        Lev Kaplan (lkaplan@tulane.edu, 5046 Percival Stern Hall, Phone: x3176)

Dmitry Uskov (uskov@tulane.edu, 5066 Percival Stern Hall, Phone: x3182)

Lectures: Wednesdays 5:00-6:15 in ***, starting August 26th

Office hours: To be announced

Web: tulane.blackboard.com [Readings, calendar, assignments, grades, web links, etc.]

 

Welcome to Mysteries of the Quantum World!

 

1. General Course Information:

Quantum mechanics has transformed our understanding of how the world works. You will be introduced to the fundamentals of quantum theory, learn to separate myth from reality, and discuss recent developments in this active area of research. Conceptual understanding of basic principles and applications will be emphasized. You will have the opportunity to approach quantum mechanics from the perspectives of several disciplines, such as mathematics, physics, computer science, philosophy, and history. Hands-on experience with computer simulations, team presentations, and a field trip to the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory are all integral parts of the course.

 

2. Grading:

Short homework assignments:    25%

Individual essay (3 pages):          25%

Participation and attendance:      25%

Team presentation:                    25%

 

3. Blackboard Website and Tulane Email:

There is no textbook for this course. We will use tulane.blackboard.com for posting readings, announcements, assignments, useful web links, syllabus updates, grades, etc. To log in, use the same ID and password that you use to access your Tulane email. If you have trouble logging in, contact the help desk at x8888 (862-8888). Check the blackboard website regularly for announcements.

 

Sometimes, we may need to contact you by email, so either check your “yourname@tulane.edu” email on a regular basis, or else arrange to have it forwarded to another email address that you do monitor.

 

4. Class Attendance, Participation, and Involvement:

You need to attend class regularly and arrive on time. Let us know in advance about any unavoidable absences. Two unexcused absences in a TIDES class will result in failure in the course! Class participation is strongly encouraged. If you have a question, please do not be afraid to ask it. Your active participation will ensure that the discussion includes ideas, applications, and examples of special interest to you. With your involvement, we can make this class a valuable learning experience for everyone. Turn off all cell phones, pagers, and beepers. You are expected always to treat your classmates with respect, and you have the right to be treated with fairness, respect, and consideration by us.

 

5. Homework Questions/Problems:

Occasional short assignments will be announced in class and posted on blackboard. These will be graded generously. Some assignments may involve computer simulations. You are encouraged to form a study group (up to three students in a group) and turn in joint assignments. Teamwork can be a great way to solidify your understanding of physics (or any other field) and can also be fun!

 

6. Tentative Course Schedule:

Readings will be posted online prior to each lecture. To get the maximum benefit from this class, read these before coming to class. This way, you will be able to ask questions and participate fully in the class discussion!

 

1. Wed, Aug 26: Introduction - Quantum indeterminacy - Bits and qubits - Quantum measurement - Stern-Gerlach experiment - Double Slit Experiment

2. Wed, Sep 2: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Tulane Reading Project discussion)
3. Wed, Sep 9: Entanglement - Bell states - Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) paradox - Spooky action at a distance - Bell’s inequalities

4: Wed, Sep 16: Operations on qubits - Quantum gates - Quantum cryptography (BB84) - Teleportation

5. Wed, Sept 23: Introduction to classical and quantum error correction

6. Wed Sep 30: Quantum computer algorithms - Breaking the RSA code.

7. Wed, Oct 7: Classical and quantum chaos - Determinism and unpredictability - Classical-quantum correspondence
[Note: No meeting on Oct 14 due to upcoming Fall Break, but you do need to come up with an individual essay topic]
8. Sat, Oct 24: Field trip: Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) in Livingston; also this week you will form teams for final presentations and select presentation topics for Nov 11
9. Wed, Oct 28: Interpretations of quantum mechanics - Copenhagen interpretation - Many worlds - Decoherence - Quantum immortality

10. Wed, Nov 4: How do you build a quantum computer? DiVincenzo criteria - Ion traps – NMR - Quantum optics - Solid state; also individual essays are due!

11. Wed, Nov 11: Team presentations by students in the class

 

7. Individual Essay:

The three-page paper may be on any topic related to quantum mechanics, and must be your original work. The question you address may be technological, historical, philosophical, or mathematical, or it may combine more than one of the above perspectives. No later than October 14th, you must come up with a proposed topic, which needs to be approved by one of the instructors. We will also post a list of topics that you can choose from. The paper itself will be due on November 4th. You are welcome to use any sources you like (including online sources), but you do need to cite all sources used.

 

8. Team Presentation: This is your opportunity to have a say in the content of the course and to explore a topic of special interest to you. You will form a team (generally 3 students per team) and select a topic for a 15 minute presentation. The presentations will take place during our final meeting on November 11th.