Physics 137a Atoms and Photons Fall 2020 Official course website is on Canvas (Caltech access only) Physics 137ab is a two term course studying the interactions of atoms and photons. In the first term, we will study atomic structure and the interaction of atoms with classical electromagnetic fields. In the second term, taught by Prof. Manuel Endres, the electromagnetic field will be treated quantum-mechanically to learn about quantum optics. 137a Topics include: resonance phenomena, atomic/molecular structure, and the interaction of atoms/molecules with static and oscillating electromagnetic fields; techniques such as laser cooling/trapping and precision measurement; applications to contemporary research such as atomic clocks, searches for fundamental symmetry violations, and synthetic quantum matter, and other research occurring right here at Caltech. A more detailed course outline can be found below. Instructor: Nick Hutzler. Email hutzler(at)caltech.edu with any questions, or if you would like to learn more. Prerequisites: Graduate quantum mechanics (such as Ph 125), or instructor's permission. Lectures are Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:30-11:55 AM online. | ![]() |