Introduction to Quantum Optics
From the Semi-classical Approach to Quantized Light

Introductory textbook for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students, covering a number of important subjects in quantum optics.

Gilbert Grynberg (Author), Alain Aspect (Author), Claude Fabre (Author), Claude Cohen-Tannoudji (Foreword by)

9780521551120, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 2 September 2010

696 pages, 220 b/w illus.
25.3 x 19.5 x 3.2 cm, 1.63 kg

'… genuinely very impressive … every section has been lovingly crafted, the text is beautifully constructed and the theory explained more comprehensibly than almost any other text I could name. Each section is graced by numerous insightful … comments from the authors, giving the reader the impression of guidance by the hand of a teacher you can utterly trust. For a start, this book has possibly the finest, clearest and most extensive introduction to perturbative transitions I have seen … I am certain that this beautifully produced and written book, with an apparently faultless production, is destined to be a classic.' Professor David L. Andrews, University of East Anglia

Covering a number of important subjects in quantum optics, this textbook is an excellent introduction for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students, familiarizing readers with the basic concepts and formalism as well as the most recent advances. The first part of the textbook covers the semi-classical approach where matter is quantized, but light is not. It describes significant phenomena in quantum optics, including the principles of lasers. The second part is devoted to the full quantum description of light and its interaction with matter, covering topics such as spontaneous emission, and classical and non-classical states of light. An overview of photon entanglement and applications to quantum information is also given. In the third part, non-linear optics and laser cooling of atoms are presented, where using both approaches allows for a comprehensive description. Each chapter describes basic concepts in detail, and more specific concepts and phenomena are presented in 'complements'.

Part I. Semi-Classical Description of Matter-Light Interaction: 1. The evolution of interacting quantum systems
2. The semi-classical approach: atoms interacting with a classical electromagnetic field
3. Principles of lasers
Part II. Quantum Description of Light and its Interaction with Matter: 4. Quantisation of free radiation
5. Free quantum radiation
6. Interaction of an atom with the quantised electromagnetic field
Part III. Applying Both Approaches: 7. Non-linear optics: from the semi-classical approach to quantum effects
8. Laser manipulation of atoms: from incoherent atom optics to atom lasers
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Electronic devices & materials [TJFD], Nanotechnology [TBN], Optical physics [PHJ]