************************************ * QUANTUM OPTICS AND ATOM OPTICS * * IN AUSTRALASIA * * * * * * * * MONTHLY NEWSLETTER * * VOL X, NO 1 * * * CONTENTS: * January 2002 * * * 0. EDITORIAL NOTE * ISSN 1325-6467 * Edited by: 1. ABSTRACTS * * Alexei Gilchrist 2. CONFERENCES * \ | / * Physics, University of Queensland, 3. WANTED TO BUY/SELL * \__|__/ * QLD 4072, Australia. 4. SITUATIONS VACANT * | * email: alexei@physics.uq.edu.au 5. MISC NEWS * | * phone: +61 7 3365 2422 * | * fax: +61 7 3365 1242 Available on WWW at: * * http://www.physics.uq.edu.au/qonews =============================================================================== 0. EDITORIAL NOTE =============================================================================== Happy new year! Apologies for the late start. Alexei =============================================================================== 1. ABSTRACTS =============================================================================== Mirror design for two-dimensional magneto-optic lenses and compressors D. Milic, M.D. Hoogerland, K.G.H. Baldwin and S.J. Buckman Applied Optics 40 (12), 1907 - 1910 (2001). A novel mirror arrangement that enables large interaction lengths between atomic beams and laser fields using a small amount of laser power is presented. Its application to focussing and compression of neutral atomic beams is discussed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A bright metastable atom source at 80K W. Lu, M.D. Hoogerland, D. Milic, K.G.H. Baldwin and S.J. Buckman Review of Scientific Instruments 72 (6), 2558 - 2561 (2001). We describe a high flux source of cold (80K) metastable helium atoms. The source employs a DC nozzle discharge which produces in excess of 10^15 atoms/steradian/sec. Liquid nitrogen cooling of the discharge source yields atomic velocities below 900~m/s. Such a source has practical applications for experiments concerned with laser cooling and trapping of metastable helium atoms. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hollow fibre guides for metastable helium atoms R.G. Dall, M.D. Hoogerland, K.G.H. Baldwin and S.J. Buckman Comptes Rendus de l'Academie des Sciences IV, 2 (4), 595 - 604 (2001). The realisation of an atomic waveguide will be an important component for the development of future atom optic devices such as large angle atom interferometers. Hollow optical fibres that employ repulsive (blue detuned) evanescent light fields to guide the atoms are one approach to this technology. We report here on multimode guiding of metastable helium atoms through hollow optical fibres that support multimode light fields. In order to produce efficient single-mode atom guiding, hollow fibres supporting single light mode propagation will be required to generate uniform evanescent light fields inside fibre wall. We have recently developed such a fibre and report on the suitability of its light transmission characteristics for atom waveguiding. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fast magnetic field switching for magneto-optic traps C.J. Dedman, K.G.H. Baldwin and M. Colla Review of Scientific Instruments 72 (11), 4055 - 4058 (2001). Magneto-optic traps which employ current windings to generate pulsed magnetic fields require rapid switch-off times for many applications. Practical difficulties in attaining rapid switch-off of the magnetic field, including the generation of induced currents, are addressed. Several methods for minimising the switch-off time are presented which do not require complex feedback mechanisms involving direct measurement of the magnetic field. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Single light mode hollow optical fibres for atom guiding R.G. Dall, M.D. Hoogerland, D. Tierney, K.G.H. Baldwin and S.J. Buckman Applied Physics B 74 (1), 11 - 18 (2002). We present a novel design for a single-mode, hollow optical fibre, which is suitable for use as a waveguide for atomic deBroglie waves. The design, development and characterisation of such a fibre are discussed, as well as an optimised method for coupling light into the fibre. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Entanglement Creation Using Quantum Interrogation A. Gilchrist, A.G. White and W.J. Munro quant-ph/0112101 We present some applications of high efficiency quantum interrogation ("interaction free measurement") for the creation of entangled states of separate atoms and of separate photons. The quantum interrogation of a quantum object in a superposition of object-in and object-out leaves the object and probe in an entangled state. The probe can then be further entangled with other objects in subsequent quantum interrogations. By then projecting out those cases were the probe is left in a particular final state, the quantum objects can themselves be left in various entangled states. In this way we show how to generate two-, three-, and higher qubit entanglement between atoms and between photons. The effect of finite efficiency for the quantum interrogation is delineated for the various schemes. =============================================================================== 2. CONFERENCES / WORKSHOPS =============================================================================== Quantum Information: Quantum Entanglement 23 - 28 March 2002 Applications by 17 December 2001 San Feliu de Guixols, Spain http://www.esf.org/euresco This meeting aims at bringing together experts from various areas in the rapidly growing field of quantum information. This first conference will focus on the fundamental concept of quantum entanglement, which is at the heart of many tasks in quantum information processing. The main topics will include detection, characterization and quantification of entanglement, as well as its experimental creation and manipulation. The scope of this conference is to encourage and promote the interaction between leading figures in the field and young researchers in a friendly environment. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CLEO/QELS 2002: Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics/Quantum Electronics and Laser Science Conference 19 - 24 May 2002 Long Beach, CA, USA http://www.osa.org/CLEO/ ------------------------------------------------------------------- 9th Central-European Workshop on Quantum Optics 3 - 6 May 2002 registration deadline: 25th March 2002. submission of abstracts by 4th March 2002 Szeged, Hungary http://www.u-szeged.hu/cewqo The workshop will be a forum of all aspects of quantum optics, including also matter waves, quantum informatics, and fundamentals of quantum mechanics. ------------------------------------------------------------------- NATO Advanced Study Institute on Quantum Information and Communication Technologies 3 - 14 June, 2002 Ankara, Turkey http://www.fen.bilkent.edu.tr/~quantum The main objective of the meeting is to provide training and offer orientation to young scientists in the field of: * Quantum information technologies * Quantum communication systems, entanglement, encoding, cryptography * Generation and detection of non-classical light * Quantum measurements * Matter wave optics, Bose-Einstein condensation * Propagation of photons in fibers, heterostructures, photonic crystals, and mesoscopic systems ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IQEC/LAT 2002: International Quantum Electronics Conference and International Conference on Lasers, Applications and Technologies 22-28 June 2002 Abstract and summary deadline 15 January 2002 Moscow, Russia http://www.ilc.msu.su/iqec2002/ The International Quantum Electronics Conference (IQEC) is the largest international conference featuring the fundamentals of quantum electronics, basic research in lasers, nonlinear and quantum optics, quantum information, and fundamental laser spectroscopy of atoms and condensed matter. IQEC 2002 is organized by the Russian Academy of Sciences and M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University under the aegis of the International Council on Quantum Electronics (ICQE). The Conference on Lasers, Applications, and Technologies (LAT) provides a forum for an update and review of a wide range of laser technologies and applications including laser device development, processing of advanced materials, optical information technologies, biomedicine and ecology applications. The meeting serves to stimulate the use of more mature optical technologies in different fields. LAT 2002 is organized by the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ministry of Industry, Science and Technology of the Russian Federation, and SPIE/Russia. ------------------------------------------------------------------- International Conference on Quantum Information 13th-18th July 2002 Deadline for abstract of contributed papers: March 15, 2002 Oviedo, Spain http://www.uniovi.es/Congresos/2001/QI/Welcome.html The main topics of the Conference will include * Quantum Information * Recent Theoretical and Experimental Progress in Quantum Information Processing * Quantum Computation * Conceptual Issues on the Foundations of Quantum Theory ------------------------------------------------------------------- QCM&C'02: Sixth International Conference on Quantum Communication, Measurement and Computing July 22-26, 2002 Massachusetts Institute of Technology http://rleweb.mit.edu/QCMC/ The previous meetings in this series, drew together researchers from many countries and covered topics in quantum information theory, theoretical and experimental aspects of quantum computing, quantum communication systems, cryptography, new quantum effects and their experimental realizations, generation detection and applications of nonclassical light, quantum noise, stochastic processes and filtering, and quantum measurement theory. These same topics will be covered at QCM&C'02. =============================================================================== 4. SITUATIONS VACANT =============================================================================== (positions #2 & #3 are still open, ed.) The Department of Physics at the Australian National University seeks three Postdoctoral Research Fellows to work in the area of Quantum Optics and Gravitational Wave Detection Research. Both research laboratories have fully funded research projects on the experimental implementation of quantum information processing, quantum communication, generation of optical entanglement, spatial squeezing, advanced interferometric measurements and application of squeezed light in gravitational wave detection. Successful applicants will play key roles in a group that provide a symbiotic and dynamic multi-disciplinary environment for optics research. Position #1 (Quantum Optics) Fixed term 11 months position starting immediately. Essential requirements: Extensive experience in nonlinear and quantum optics experiments, generation of squeezed light, quantum noise limited microscopy and the theory of multi-mode optical states. Position #2 (Quantum Information) Fixed term 2 year position with the possibility of extending to 5 years. Essential requirements: Strong background in quantum optics and quantum information processing. Experienced in the implementation of nonlinear and quantum optics experiments. Position #3 (Gravitational Wave Detection) Fixed term 2 year position with the possibility of extending to 3 years. Essential requirements: Experienced in the implementation of advanced interferometric measurement and nonlinear optics experiments. All candidates should possess a PhD in Physics (or be in the process of obtaining one) and have good experimental and communication skills. Salary of the appointments ranges from AUS$45,666 (Step 4 PDF) to $49,835 (Step 1 ARF). Applications for position #1 will be assessed on the 20th December 2001. Position #2 and #3 will be assessed on 20th January 2002 on an ongoing basis afterwards. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *** Addendum *** =============================================================================== 0. EDITORIAL NOTE =============================================================================== A couple of urgent items. cheers, Alexei =============================================================================== 2. CONFERENCES / WORKSHOPS =============================================================================== Final Announcement for the Quantum Information and Computation Summer School (QICSS). Registration is due January 25, and the registration cost is AUS$60 for students, AUS$100 for postdocs, and AUS$200 for all other participants. To register, please see the QICSS webpage at the URL given below. http://www.physics.uq.edu.au/qicss/index.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ QCM&C'02: Sixth International Conference on Quantum Communication, Measurement and Computing July 22-26, 2002 Deadline for papers: March 15, 2002 Massachusetts Institute of Technology http://rleweb.mit.edu/QCMC/ CALL FOR PAPERS The Sixth International Conference on Quantum Communication, Measurement and Computing - to be held on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from July 22 to July 26, 2002 - invites contributed papers on the following topics ... Quantum information theory ... Theoretical and experimental aspects of quantum computing ... Quantum communication systems ... Quantum cryptography ... New quantum effects and their experimental realizations ... Generation, detection and applications of nonclassical light ... Quantum noise ... Quantum stochastic processes and filtering ... Quantum measurement theory ... Quantum control To be considered for a contributed talk or poster, a prospective author must submit an extended summary of at most two pages in the form of a Portable Document Format (.pdf) file. This file should include complete contact information for each author, including postal address, telephone and facsimile numbers, and email address. Authors who only want to be considered for an oral presentation should so indicate in their .pdf file. Prospective authors must send their extended summary, as an email attachment, to qcmc02@rle.mit.edu by 1700 Eastern Standard Time on Friday, March 15, 2002. Notification of acceptances will be sent via email by April 15, 2002. Up-to-date information about the conference is available at http://rleweb.mit.edu/QCMC/ =============================================================================== 4. SITUATIONS VACANT =============================================================================== TENURE TRACK FACULTY POSITION and CANADA RESEARCH CHAIR in EXPERIMENTAL AMO PHYSICS Department of Physics, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO http://www.physics.utoronto.ca/jobs/expamojob.htm The Department of Physics at the University of Toronto plans to make a tenure track appointment in Experimental Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics at the rank of Assistant Professor with a starting date of 1 July 2002. The successful candidate will also be nominated for a Canada Research Chair. We seek exceptional candidates in the general area of quantum optics, atomic optics, quantum information, atomic coherence effects and related areas. The successful applicant will have the demonstrated potential to lead an innovative, world-class effort in this area. The position will complement a strong, and growing experimental and theoretical effort in the Quantum Optics group in the Department of Physics (presently 6 faculty members), as well as a more recent multi-departmental thrust in quantum information. The candidate will also have the opportunity to take advantage of the department's strong linkages with Photonics Research Ontario and the Canadian Institute for Photonic Innovations. We invite prospective candidates to visit our home page at www.physics.utoronto.ca. We seek candidates with a Ph.D. in Physics and strong proven or potential excellence in both research and teaching. The salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae, list of publications, research plan, and arrange for at least three letters of reference, to be sent to: Professor Henry M. van Driel Chair Department of Physics University of Toronto Toronto, Ontario Canada M5S 1A7 Applications will be reviewed beginning 2 January 2002 until the position is filled.