Experiments on Photon Quantum Mechanics

Colgate University, June 22-24, 2021 

The Immersion involves the following:

a)             Experiments touch on the fundamentals of quantum mechanics and photons. We do 4 experiments with 2 variations each in half-day blocks.

 b)            The goal is to learn to do the experiments, so participants do everything, starting with a clean breadboard to build up to the setup shown in the figure; which has a laser, parametric down conversion and detection system.

 c)             The experiments expose students to fundamental questions about quantum physics that are vital for getting introduced to quantum information.

 d)            Participants will learn about optical alignments and working with single photons and the fundamentals behind the experiments.

 e)            Activities involve a 1-hour discussion followed by 2-3 hours of hands-on lab work. Agenda is as follows.

Day1,

     Morning: Optical alignments and parametric down-conversion;

     Afternoon: Single-photon interference and the existence of  

                         photons;

Day 2,

     Morning: quantum eraser and delayed-choice;

     Afternoon: Entanglement;

Day 3,

     Morning: Bell inequalities and remote operation.

 f)              Participants do not need to bring any equipment and supplies. They will get a lab supplies and memory stick with information, manuals, costs, etc.

 g)             Laser safety goggles will be provided.

h)            Cost: Basic setup: Basic setup: $10k; Interference: $3k; Entanglement $3.6k Equipment at hand can reduce costs by $6k. For more info see follow this link.

Enrique “Kiko” Galvez Bio: He obtained a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Notre Dame in 1986. He has been member of the faculty at Colgate University since 1988, where he is currently the Charles A. Dana Professor of Physics and Astronomy. His research interests include quantum and classical optical physics, atomic physics and physics education. He has received numerous external grants and has published widely with undergraduates. He is coauthor of three textbooks. In 2010 he received the Prize to a Faculty Member for Research at an Undergraduate Institution from the American Physical Society, in 2018 was elected Fellow of the Optical Society of America, and in 2020 received the Jonathan Reichert and Barbara Wolff-Reichert Award for Excellence in Advanced Laboratory Instruction.


Behzad Khajavi Bio: Received B.S. from Bu Ali-Sina University (Iran) and M.S. degree from Isfahan University of Technology of Iran in 2009. He did his graduate studies at Florida Atlantic University, obtaining a Masters in Physics Education in 2013 and a Ph.D. in 2018 with dissertation research performed at Colgate University. He is currently a Post-Doc at the University of Houston.

Enrique J. “Kiko” Galvez, Charles A. Dana Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Colgate University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, 13 Oak Drive, Hamilton, NY 13346. Email: egalvez@colgate.edu. Telephone: 315-228-7205

Please note that the Jonathan F. Reichert Foundation has established a grant program to help purchase apparatus used in Laboratory Immersions. Limitations and exclusions apply, but generally speaking the Foundation may support up to 40% of the cost of the required equipment.