Teaching
Rydberg Physics of Atoms, Molecules and Ultracold Gases (SoSe 2024)
This course will survey topics in modern AMO theory with an emphasis on applications in Rydberg systems, including:
- Interactions in ultracold gases
- Bose-Einstein condensates
- Multichannel scattering theory (in particular, multichannel quantum defect theory used for complex Rydberg spectra)
- Adiabatic methods for nonseparable quantum problems
- Supersymmetric quantum mechanics
- Atoms in external fields
- Pressure broadening
- Impurity physics / Bose polarons
- ...and much more.
The course will introduce several different theoretical and numerical approaches to solving problems in AMO theory. Most of the key concepts will be taught using modern research problems as a basis.
Background experience in quantum mechanics, mathematical methods, and computational physics will be assumed; background knowledge in AMO physics will be helpful but topics will be taught without relying on too much background knowledge.
Very useful references and background reading:
Harald Friedrich: Theoretical Atomic Physics and Scattering Theory
Fano and Rau, Atomic Collisions and Spectra
Tom Gallagher, Rydberg Atoms
Your favorite quantum mechanics textbooks: I like C. Cohen-Tannoudji, Sakurai, Griffiths, ...
Course location:
- spatial: MPI-PKS room 1D1
- temporal: Mondays 11:10-12:40
To register: via e-mail at meiles@pks.mpg.de
Course requirements: participation in class discussions (70% attendance at minimum!) and in a final project.
Details of the project: TBD
Course syllabus:
| Date | Tentative Topic(s) | Notes |
| April 8 | Introduction & Preliminaries / history of Rydberg physics / Hydrogen atom. Lecture 1 Notes. | |
| April 15 | SuperSymmetric quantum mechanics. Lecture 2 Notes. | |
| April 22 | Coulomb scattering. Lecture 3 Notes. | |
| April 29 | Coulomb scattering cont'd and quantum defect theory. Lecture 3/4 Notes. | |
| May 6 | Special class: Alper lecturing on BECs. Lecture 5/6 Notes. | |
| May 13 | Special class pt. 2: Alper's lectures on BECs. Lecture 5/6 Example Code. | |
| May 20 | Pentacost | No lecture |
| May 27 | Low- and zero-energy scattering. Lecture 7 Notes. | |
| June 3 | No class - rescheduling TBA | |
| June 10 | Scattering length and the Fermi pseudopotential. Lecture 8 Notes. | |
| June 17 | No class - rescheduling TBA | |
| June 24 | Rydberg molecules / dispersion / interactions / adiabatic expansion (x2 week) | |
| July 1 | No class - rescheduling TBA | |
| July 8 | MQDT (x2 or x3 week) | |
| July 15 | end | |