History and Fundamentals of the Laser

From Lasing With Inversion to Lasing Without Inversion and
From Quantum Eraser to Quantum Microscopy

Jeudi. 10 juin, 20 - 21 h, English
Prof. Marlan Scully, Texas A&A University, USA

The laser is a crowning achievement in 20th century science and technology and the 21st century continues to bear fruit in this fascinating field of laser physics. For example, quantum coherence yields lasing without inversion, and the use of lasers enables interesting quantum effects such as quantum eraser and quantum microscopy. The physics behind and early debate concerning these topics will be reviewed. Quantum eraser, the first example of such entanglement interferometry yields resolution well beyond the Raleigh limit.

Prof. Dr. Marlan O. Scully - Biography

Texas A&M University, Department of Physics & Astronomy
http://www.physics.tamu.edu/

Marlan O. Scully (Texas A&M and Princeton) is a pioneer in laser physics. His work includes the first quantum theory of the laser with Willis Lamb, the first demonstration of lasing without inversion, the first demonstration of ultraslow light in hot gases, and the use of quantum coherence to detect anthrax in real time. Furthermore Scully’s work on quantum coherence and correlation effects has shed new light on the foundations of quantum mechanics, e.g., the quantum eraser. He has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Academia Europaea, and the Max Planck Society and has received numerous awards including the APS Schawlow prize, the OSA Townes Award, the IEEE Quantum Electronics Award, the Franklin Institute’s Elliott Cresson Medal, the OSA Lomb, and the Humboldt Senior Faculty Prize. He was selected Loeb Lecturer at Harvard in 2008 and recently received an honorary doctorate from Universität Ulm.