Boston Chapter of the IEEE Photonics Society

Abstract:  Quantum optomechanics offers considerable promise both in fundamental and in applied science, with the potential of gaining a deeper understanding of the quantum-classical transition, and also of developing sensors capable of probing extremely feeble forces, often with spatial resolution at atomic scales.

Its rapid development is the result of a convergence from two perspectives on the physical world. From the top down, ultra-sensitive micromechanical and nanomechanical detectors have become available utilizing the advanced materials and processing techniques of the semiconductor industry and nanoscience. And from the bottom-up perspective, quantum optics and atomic physics have yielded an exquisite understanding of the mechanical aspects of light–matter interaction, including how quantum mechanics limits the ultimate sensitivity of measurements and how measurement backaction can be harnessed to control quantum states of mechanical systems.

After a tutorial general introduction, the talk will discuss selected recent advances, including the development of quantum heat engines and heat pumps that may help shed light on fundamental questions in stochastic and quantum thermodynamics.

Biography:  Pierre Meystre obtained his Physics Diploma and PhD from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Switzerland and the Habilitation in Theoretical Physics from the University of Munich, Germany. He is a Regents Professor of Physics and Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona, and since 2013 serves as Lead Editor of Physical Review Letters. His research interests include theoretical quantum optics, atomic physics, ultracold science, and quantum optomechanics. He has published well over 300 refereed papers and is the author of the text "Elements of Quantum Optics", together with Murray Sargent III, and of the monograph "Atom Optics." He is a recipient of the Humboldt Foundation Research Prize for Senior US Scientists, the R.W. Wood Prize of the Optical Society of America, and the Willis E. Lamb Award for Laser Science and Quantum Optics. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society, the Optical Society of America, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Location:  MIT Lincoln Laboratory Forbes Road