This course introduces the techniques and approaches used to understand the physics of nanoscale materials and devices. (1) Introduction to nanophysics, qubits and the density matrix formalism. (2) Nanofabrication: Overview of the most common nanofabrication techniques and Nanostructure characterisation. (3) Quantisation by confinement, effect of confinement on transport properties of solids, Effect of confinement on excitons, screening and energy renormalization. (4) Spins in quantum mechanics, spin polarisation and readout, Nuclear spin baths , Applications to quantum sensing and quantum computing. (5) Intro to superconductivity, macroscopic quantum model, London equation, Meissner effect, Josephson junctions, kinetic inductance. Devices: kinetic inductance detectors, SQUIDs, SSPDs, superconducting qubits
Lecturer: Prof Margherita Mazzera, Prof Cristian Bonato
Institution: Heriot-Watt
Delivery: Video Conference
Hours Equivalent Credit: 20
Assessment: Two open book class tests.
Course Work: Approximately 7 hours per week outside of class Course Summary
This course will provide an introduction to physical systems and experimental techniques relevant to Quantum Technologies.
Part I (3 lectures, Paul Griffin) – Atoms: Laser cooling and atomic clocks; Atoms in optical lattices; Rydberg atoms in tweezers for quantum computation;
Part II (2 lectures, Sam Bayliss) Spin Qubits: Spin-light interfaces; Physical systems; Initialisation, readout and control of spin qubits; Applications to quantum sensing and quantum networks;
Part III (2 lectures, Alessandro Fedrizzi) – Photonics;
Part IV (2 lectures, Martin Weides) – Superconducting Qubits: Quantum circuits, materials and interfacing concepts.
Status: This is a biennial course. Not offered in 2024/25; returning in 2025/26
Lecturer: Bernd Braunecker, Jonathan Keeling
Institution: St Andrews
Hours Equivalent Credit: 18
Assessment: Continuous Assessment
Course Summary
These lecturers cover two closely related themes: models of magnetism and quantum phase transitions. The two parts are strongly linked in that many of the models we will introduce to describe magnetism turn out to be paradigmatic models of quantum phase transitions. The course is intended to be relevant not just for those working on traditional solid-state systems, but also those working on cold atom physics, where many of the same models and questions are also relevant.
