260052 VU Engineered quantum many-body systems (2022S)

What is a quantum simulator and what is it good for? How can we build amplifiers that are as good as quantum mechanics allows for? How can we exploit topology for robust qubits or directional amplification? What are quantum phases and non-equilibrium phase transitions?

This is a rather practically-minded course on advanced topics in theoretical quantum many-body physics with a focus on synthetic quantum systems. We will touch on topics of current research and get acquainted with methods to treat the interplay of interactions, topology, and disorder as well as their control by means of driving, dissipation, and feedback.

By the end of the course, you will have a first understanding of some of the questions in quantum science and technology, the language to describe, and the tools to address them.

Planned topics include elements of quantum dynamics (adiabatic evolution, Landau-Zener transitions, Berry phase), second quantization (bosons and fermions, Bogoliubov theory, Kitaev chain), open quantum systems (Lindblad equation), topology (Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model), phase transitions (Bose-Hubbard model, Dicke model, and discrete time crystals).

The course format will combine lecture units and exercises.