Syllabus

Course Meeting Times

Lectures: 2 session / week, 1.5 hours / session

Description

This course is offered to graduate students and covers topics in five major areas of quantum optical communication: quantum optics, single-mode and two-mode quantum systems, multi-mode quantum systems, nonlinear optics, and quantum systems theory.

Prerequisites

The prerequisites are 6.011 Introduction to Communication, Control, and Signal Processing and 18.06 Linear Algebra.

Subject Organization

There is no required text. Lecture notes will be provided along with suggestions for supplementary reading. There will be eight problem sets and an in-class mid-term quiz, but there will not be a final examination. A term paper will be required. Topic suggestions will be handed out.

Grading

The following weights are approximate.

Subject Outline

• Quantum Optics
  • Dirac-notation quantum mechanics
  • Harmonic oscillator quantization
  • Number states, coherent states, and squeezed states
  • P-representation and classical fields
• Single-Mode and Two-Mode Quantum Systems
  • Direct, homodyne, and heterodyne detection
  • Linear propagation loss
  • Phase insensitive and phase sensitive amplifiers
  • Entanglement and teleportation
• Multi-Mode Quantum Systems
  • Field quantization
  • Quantum photodetection
• Nonlinear Optics
  • Phase-matched interactions
  • Optical parametric amplifiers
  • Generation of squeezed states, photon-twin beams, non-classical fourth-order interference, and polarization entanglement
• Quantum Systems Theory
  • Optimum binary detection
  • Quantum precision measurements
  • Quantum cryptography