This thesis sheds new light on the fascinating properties of composite quantum systems. Quantum systems of different sizes, ranging from small bipartite systems to large many-body ensembles, can be studied with the help of modern quantum optical experiments. These experiments make it possible to observe a broad variety of striking features, including nonclassical correlations, complex dynamics and quantum phase transitions. By adopting the complementary perspectives of quantum information theory, quantum chemistry and many-body theory, the thesis develops new methods for the efficient characterization and description of interacting, composite quantum systems.

This highly interdisciplinary thesis covers a wide range of topics relating to the interface of cold atoms, quantum simulation, quantum magnetism and disorder. With a self-contained presentation, it provides a broad overview of the rapidly evolving area of cold atoms and is of interest to both undergraduates and researchers working in the field. Starting with a general introduction to the physics of cold atoms and optical lattices, it extends the theory to that of systems with different multispecies atoms. It advances the theory of many-body quantum systems in excited bands (of optical lattices) through an extensive study of the properties of both the mean-field and strongly correlated regimes. Particular emphasis is given to the context of quantum simulation, where as shown here, the orbital degree of freedom in excited bands allows the study of exotic models of magnetism not easily achievable with the previous alternative systems. In addition, it proposes a new model Hamiltonian that serves as a quantum simulator of various disordered systems in different symmetry classes that can easily be reproduced experimentally. This is of great interest, especially for the study of disorder in 2D quantum systems.

This book aims at presenting the field of Quantum Information Theory in an intuitive, didactic and self-contained way, taking into account several multidisciplinary aspects. Therefore, this books is particularly suited to students and researchers willing to grasp fundamental concepts in Quantum Computation and Quantum Information areas. The field of Quantum Information Theory has increased significantly over the last three decades. Many results from classical information theory were translated and extended to a scenario where quantum effects become important. Most of the results in this area allows for an asymptotically small probability of error to represent and transmit information efficiently. Claude E.Shannon was the first scientist to realize that error-free classical information transmission can be accomplished under certain conditions. More recently, the concept of error-free classical communication was translated to the quantum context. The so-called Quantum Zero-Error Information Theory completes and extends the Shannon Zero-Error Information Theory.

This book takes a pedagogical approach to explaining quantum gravity, supersymmetry and string theory in a coherent way. It is aimed at graduate students and researchers in quantum field theory and high-energy physics. The first part of the book introduces quantum gravity, without requiring previous knowledge of general relativity (GR). The necessary geometrical aspects are derived afresh leading to explicit general Lagrangians for gravity, including that of general relativity. The quantum aspect of gravitation, as described by the graviton, is introduced and perturbative quantum GR is discussed. The Schwinger-DeWitt formalism is developed to compute the one-loop contribution to the theory and renormalizability aspects of the perturbative theory are also discussed. This follows by introducing only the very basics of a non-perturbative, background-independent, formulation of quantum gravity, referred to as "loop quantum gravity", which gives rise to a quantization of space. In the second part the author introduces supersymmetry and its consequences. The generation of superfields is represented in detail. Supersymmetric generalizations of Maxwell's Theory as well as of Yang-Mills field theory, and of the standard model are worked out. Spontaneous symmetry breaking, improvement of the divergence problem in supersymmetric field theory, and its role in the hierarchy problem are covered. The unification of the fundamental constants in a supersymmetric version of the standard model are then studied. Geometrical aspects necessary to study supergravity are developed culminating in the derivation of its full action. The third part introduces string theory and the analysis of the spectra of the mass (squared) operator associated with the oscillating strings. The properties of the underlying fields, associated with massless particles, encountered in string theory are studied in some detail. Elements of compactification, duality and D-branes are given, as well of the generation of vertices and interactions of strings. In the final sections, the author shows how to recover GR and the Yang-Mills field Theory from string theory.

This book describes research in two different areas of state-of-the-art hadron collider physics, both of which are of central importance in the field of particle physics. The first part of the book focuses on the search for supersymmetric particles called gluinos. The book subsequently presents a set of precision measurements of "multi-jet" collision events, which involve large numbers of newly created particles, and are among the dominant processes at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Now that a Higgs boson has been discovered at the LHC, the existence (or non-existence) of supersymmetric particles is of the utmost interest and significance, both theoretically and experimentally. In addition, multi-jet collision events are an important background process for a wide range of analyses, including searches for supersymmetry.

This book addresses electron spin-qubit based quantum computing and quantum information processing with a strong focus on the background and applications to EPR/ESR technique and spectroscopy. It explores a broad spectrum of topics including quantum computing, information processing, quantum effects in electron-nuclear coupled molecular spin systems, adiabatic quantum computing, heat bath algorithmic cooling with spins, and gateway schemes of quantum control for spin networks to NMR quantum information. The organization of the book places emphasis on relevant molecular qubit spectroscopy. These revolutionary concepts have never before been included in a comprehensive volume that covers theory, physical basis, technological basis, applications, and new advances in this emerging field. Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) Based Quantum Computing, co-edited by leading and renowned researchers Takeji Takui, Graeme Hanson and Lawrence J Berliner, is an ideal resource for students and researchers in the fields of EPR/ESR, NMR and quantum computing. This book also * Explores methods of harnessing quantum effects in electron-nuclear coupled molecular spin systems * Expertly discusses applications of optimal control theory in quantum computing * Broadens the readers' understanding of NMR quantum information processing

This book reflects on the significant and highly original scientific contributions of Hans Primas. A professor of chemistry at ETH Zurich from 1962 to 1995, Primas continued his research activities until his death in 2014. Over these 50 years and more, he worked on the foundations of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, contributed to a number of significant issues in theoretical chemistry, helped to clarify central topics in quantum theory and the philosophy of physics, suggested innovative ways of addressing interlevel relations in the philosophy of science, and introduced cutting-edge approaches in the flourishing young field of scientific studies of consciousness. His work in these areas of research and its continuing impact is described by noted experts, colleagues, and collaborators of Primas. All authors contextualize their contributions to facilitate the mutual dialog between these fields.

This monograph introduces the basic concepts of the theory of causal fermion systems, a recent approach to the description of fundamental physics. The theory yields quantum mechanics, general relativity and quantum field theory as limiting cases and is therefore a candidate for a unified physical theory. From the mathematical perspective, causal fermion systems provide a general framework for describing and analyzing non-smooth geometries and "quantum geometries". The dynamics is described by a novel variational principle, called the causal action principle. In addition to the basics, the book provides all the necessary mathematical background and explains how the causal action principle gives rise to the interactions of the standard model plus gravity on the level of second-quantized fermionic fields coupled to classical bosonic fields. The focus is on getting a mathematically sound connection between causal fermion systems and physical systems in Minkowski space. The book is intended for graduate students entering the field, and is furthermore a valuable reference work for researchers in quantum field theory and quantum gravity.

This book offers a detailed examination of the latest work on the potential of polarized fuel to realize the vision of energy production by nuclear fusion. It brings together contributions from nuclear physicists and fusion physicists with the aims of fostering exchange of information between the two communities, describing the current status in the field, and examining new ideas and projects under development. It is evident that polarized fuel can offer huge improvements for the first generation of fusion reactors and open new technological possibilities for future generations, including neutron lean reactors, which could be the most popular and sustainable energy production option to avoid environmental problems. Nevertheless, many questions must be resolved before polarized fuel can be used for energy production in the different reactor types. Readers will find this book to be a stimulating source of information on the key issues. It is based on contributions from leading scientists delivered at the meetings "Nuclear Fusion with Polarized Nucleons" (Trento, November 2013) and "PolFusion" (Ferrara, July 2015).

This thesis covers several important topics relevant to our understanding of quark-gluon plasma. It describes measurement of the third-order harmonic flow using two-particle correlations and isolation of flow and non-flow contributions to particle correlations in gold-gold collisions. The work also investigates long-range longitudinal correlations in small systems of deuteron-gold collisions. The former is related to the hydrodynamic transport properties of the quark-gluon plasma created in gold-gold collisions. The latter pertains to the question whether hydrodynamics is applicable to small systems, such as deuteron-gold collisions, and whether the quark-gluon plasma can be formed in those small-system collisions. The work presented in this thesis was conducted with the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider at Brookhaven National Laboratory, where the center-of-mass energy of both collision systems was a factor of 100 larger than the rest mass of the colliding nuclei. The results contained in this thesis are highly relevant to our quest for deeper understanding of quantum chromodynamics. The results obtained challenge the interpretation of previous works from several other experiments on small systems, and provoke a fresh look at the physics of hydrodynamics and particle correlations pertinent to high energy nuclear collisions.

This thesis presents several significant new results that shed light on two major puzzles of modern cosmology: the nature of inflation, the very early phase of the universe that is thought to have given rise to the large-scale structures that we observe today; and that of the current accelerated expansion. In particular, it develops a clean method for characterizing linear cosmological perturbations for general theories where gravity is modified and/or affected by a new component, called dark energy, responsible for the accelerated expansion. It proposes a new extension to what were long thought to be the most general scalar field theories devoid of instabilities, and demonstrates the robustness of the relation between the energy scale of inflation and the predicted amplitude of gravitational waves. Finally, it consolidates a set of consistency relations between correlation functions of the cosmological density field and investigates the phenomenological consequences of their potential violation. Presented in a clear, succinct and rigorous style, each of these original results is both profound and important and will leave a deep mark on the field.

This volume offers a fundamentally different way of conceptualizing time and reality. Today, we see time predominantly as the linear-sequential order of events, and reality accordingly as consisting of facts that can be ordered along sequential time. But what if this conceptualization has us mistaking the "exhausts" for the "real thing", i.e. if we miss the best, the actual taking place of reality as it occurs in a very differently structured, primordial form of time, the time-space of the present? In this new conceptual framework, both the sequential aspect of time and the factual aspect of reality are emergent phenomena that come into being only after reality has actually taken place. In the new view, facts are just the "traces" that the actual taking place of reality leaves behind on the co-emergent "canvas'' of local spacetime. Local spacetime itself emerges only as facts come into being - and only facts can be adequately localized in it. But, how does reality then actually occur? It is conceived as a "constellatory self-unfolding", characterized by strong self-referentiality, and taking place in the primordial form of time, the not yet sequentially structured "time-space of the present". Time is seen here as an ontophainetic platform, i.e. as the stage on which reality can first occur. This view of time (and, thus, also space) seems to be very much in accordance with what we encounter in quantum physics before the so-called collapse of the wave function. In parallel, classical and relativistic physics largely operate within the factual portrait of reality, and the sequential aspect of time, respectively. Only singularities constitute an important exemption: here the canvas of local spacetime - that emerged together with factization - melts down again. In the novel framework quantum reduction and singularities can be seen and addressed as inverse transitions: In quantum physical state reduction reality "gains" the chrono-ontological format of facticity, and the sequential aspect of time becomes applicable. In singularities, by contrast, the inverse happens: Reality loses its local spacetime formation and reverts back into its primordial, pre-local shape - making in this way the use of causality relations, Boolean logic and the dichotomization of subject and object obsolete. For our understanding of the relation between quantum and relativistic physics this new view opens up fundamentally new perspectives: Both are legitimate views of time and reality, they just address very different chrono-ontological portraits, and thus should not lead us to erroneously subjugating one view under the other. The task of the book is to provide a formal framework in which this radically different view of time and reality can be addressed properly. The mathematical approach is based on the logical and topological features of the Borromean Rings. It draws upon concepts and methods of algebraic and geometric topology - especially the theory of sheaves and links, group theory, logic and information theory, in relation to the standard constructions employed in quantum mechanics and general relativity, shedding new light on the pestilential problems of their compatibility. The intended audience includes physicists, mathematicians and philosophers with an interest in the conceptual and mathematical foundations of modern physics.

This book will cover the cutting-edge developments in molecular and cellular mechanobiology to date. Readers will have a clear understanding of mechanobiology at the molecular and cellular levels, encompassing the mechanosensors, transducers, and transcription. An integrative approach across different scales from molecular sensing to mechanotransduction and gene modulation for physiological regulation of cellular functions will be explored, as well as applications to pathophysiological states in disease. A comprehensive understanding of the roles of physicochemical microenvironment and intracellular responses in determining cellular function in health and disease will also be discussed.

This thesis presents the first experimental calibration of the top-quark Monte-Carlo mass. It also provides the top-quark mass-independent and most precise top-quark pair production cross-section measurement to date. The most precise measurements of the top-quark mass obtain the top-quark mass parameter (Monte-Carlo mass) used in simulations, which are partially based on heuristic models. Its interpretation in terms of mass parameters used in theoretical calculations, e.g. a running or a pole mass, has been a long-standing open problem with far-reaching implications beyond particle physics, even affecting conclusions on the stability of the vacuum state of our universe. In this thesis, this problem is solved experimentally in three steps using data obtained with the compact muon solenoid (CMS) detector. The most precise top-quark pair production cross-section measurements to date are performed. The Monte-Carlo mass is determined and a new method for extracting the top-quark mass from theoretical calculations is presented. Lastly, the top-quark production cross-sections are obtained - for the first time - without residual dependence on the top-quark mass, are interpreted using theoretical calculations to determine the top-quark running- and pole mass with unprecedented precision, and are fully consistently compared with the simultaneously obtained top-quark Monte-Carlo mass.

This thesis presents a theoretical investigation into the creation and exploitation of quantum correlations and entanglement among ultracold atoms. Specifically, it focuses on these non-classical effects in two contexts: (i) tests of local realism with massive particles, e.g., violations of a Bell inequality and the EPR paradox, and (ii) realization of quantum technology by exploitation of entanglement, for example quantum-enhanced metrology. In particular, the work presented in this thesis emphasizes the possibility of demonstrating and characterizing entanglement in realistic experiments, beyond the simple "toy-models" often discussed in the literature. The importance and relevance of this thesis are reflected in a spate of recent publications regarding experimental demonstrations of the atomic Hong-Ou-Mandel effect, observation of EPR entanglement with massive particles and a demonstration of an atomic SU(1,1) interferometer. With a separate chapter on each of these systems, this thesis is at the forefront of current research in ultracold atomic physics.

This monograph offers a concise overview of the theoretical description of various collective phenomena in condensed matter physics. These effects include the basic electronic structure in solid state physics, lattice vibrations, superconductivity, light-matter interaction and more advanced topics such as martensitic transistions.

This book focuses on the study of heavy quarkonium production at high-energy colliders as a useful tool to explain both the perturbative and non-perturbative aspects of quantum choromodynamics. It provides the first comprehensive comparison between the theory and recent experiments and clarifies some longstanding puzzles in the heavy quarkonium production mechanism. In addition, it describes in detail a new framework for implementing precise computations of the physical observables in quantum field theories based on recently developed techniques. It can be used to simulate the complicated collider environment of the Large Hadron Collider at the Conseil Europeen pour la Recherche Nucleaire (CERN). Its accomplishment implies that the Monte Carlo simulations for high-energy physics experiments have reached the limits of precision. It offers readers a wealth of valuable information on the relevant techniques.

Combining twenty-six original essays written by an impressive line-up of distinguished physicists and philosophers of physics, this anthology reflects some of the latest thoughts by leading experts on the influence of Bell's theorem on quantum physics. Essays progress from John Bell's character and background, through studies of his main work, and on to more speculative ideas, addressing the controversies surrounding the theorem, and investigating the theorem's meaning and its deep implications for the nature of physical reality. Combined, they present a powerful comment on the undeniable significance of Bell's theorem for the development of ideas in quantum physics over the past 50 years. Questions surrounding the assumptions and significance of Bell's work still inspire discussion in the field of quantum physics. Adding to this with a theoretical and philosophical perspective, this balanced anthology is an indispensable volume for students and researchers interested in the philosophy of physics and the foundations of quantum mechanics.

This doctoral thesis focuses on the search for new phenomena in top-antitop quark (tt) final states with additional b-quark jets at the LHC. It uses the full Run 1 dataset collected by the ATLAS experiment in proton-proton collisions at s=8 TeV. The final state of interest consists of an isolated lepton, a neutrino and at least six jets with at least four b-tagged jets, a challenging experimental signature owing to the large background from tt+heavy-flavor production. This final state is characteristic of ttH production, with the Higgs boson decaying into bb, a process that allows direct probing of the top-Higgs Yukawa coupling. This signature is also present in many extensions of the Standard Model that have been proposed as solutions to the hierarchy problem, such as supersymmetry or composite Higgs models, which predict the pair production of bosonic or fermionic top quark partners, or the anomalous production of four-top-quark events. All these physics processes have been searched for using an ambitious search strategy that has been developed on the basis of a combination of state-of-art theoretical predictions and a sophisticated statistical analysis to constrain in-situ the large background uncertainties. As a result, the most restrictive bounds to date on the above physics processes have been obtained.

This book describes a promising approach to problems in the foundations of quantum mechanics, including the measurement problem. The dynamics of ensembles on configuration space is shown here to be a valuable tool for unifying the formalisms of classical and quantum mechanics, for deriving and extending the latter in various ways, and for addressing the quantum measurement problem. A description of physical systems by means of ensembles on configuration space can be introduced at a very fundamental level: the basic building blocks are a configuration space, probabilities, and Hamiltonian equations of motion for the probabilities. The formalism can describe both classical and quantum systems, and their thermodynamics, with the main difference being the choice of ensemble Hamiltonian. Furthermore, there is a natural way of introducing ensemble Hamiltonians that describe the evolution of hybrid systems; i.e., interacting systems that have distinct classical and quantum sectors, allowing for consistent descriptions of quantum systems interacting with classical measurement devices and quantum matter fields interacting gravitationally with a classical spacetime.

Coherent states (CS) were originally introduced in 1926 by Schroedinger and rediscovered in the early 1960s in the context of laser physics. Since then, they have evolved into an extremely rich domain that pervades virtually every corner of physics, and have also given rise to a range of research topics in mathematics. The purpose of the 2016 CIRM conference was to bring together leading experts in the field with scientists interested in related topics, to jointly investigate their applications in physics, their various mathematical properties, and their generalizations in many directions. Instead of traditional proceedings, this book presents sixteen longer review-type contributions, which are the outcome of a collaborative effort by many conference participants, subsequently reviewed by independent experts. The book aptly illustrates the diversity of CS aspects, from purely mathematical topics to physical applications, including quantum gravity.

This book presents the Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Non-Hermitian Hamiltonians in Quantum Physics, held in Palermo, Italy, from 18 to 23 May 2015. Non-Hermitian operators, and non-Hermitian Hamiltonians in particular, have recently received considerable attention from both the mathematics and physics communities. There has been a growing interest in non-Hermitian Hamiltonians in quantum physics since the discovery that PT-symmetric Hamiltonians can have a real spectrum and thus a physical relevance. The main subjects considered in this book include: PT-symmetry in quantum physics, PT-optics, Spectral singularities and spectral techniques, Indefinite-metric theories, Open quantum systems, Krein space methods, and Biorthogonal systems and applications. The book also provides a summary of recent advances in pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians and PT-symmetric Hamiltonians, as well as their applications in quantum physics and in the theory of open quantum systems.

These lecture notes are dedicated to the most recent theoretical applications of Black Hole solutions in high-energy physics. The main motivation of this volume is to present the latest black hole backgrounds that are relevant for gauge/gravity correspondence. Leading scientists in the field explain effective techniques for finding singular and cosmological solutions embedded in gauged supergravity, shedding light on underlying properties and symmetries. Starting from a basic level, the mathematical structures underlying black holes and cosmologies are revealed, helping the reader grasp the connection between theoretical approaches and physical observations with insights into possible future developments from both a theoretical and experimental point of view. The topics covered in this volume are based on lectures delivered during the "Theoretical Frontiers in Black Holes and Cosmology" school, held in Natal in June 2015.

The book presents a comprehensive yet concise introduction to the physics of two-dimensional electron systems in the quantum Hall regime, as well as an up-to-date overview of the current fields of research concerning the integer and fractional quantum Hall effect. The physics of two-dimensional electron systems at low temperatures and high magnetic fields are governed by the formation of discrete energy levels referred to as Landau levels. These narrow energy bands not only form the basis of the well-known quantum Hall effect but also promote strong interactions between the electrons, giving rise to some of the finest manifestations of many-body physics in solid state science. Examples include skyrmionic spin textures, ferromagnetic spin transitions, stripe and bubble phases, as well as fractional quantum Hall states with potential non-abelian exchange statistics. The thesis succeeds in profoundly deepening our understanding of these exotic states of matter, with a main focus on the density-modulated phases in the quantum Hall regime. These phases arise from the interplay of competing interactions and are characterized by a self-organized ordering of electrons in spatial patterns. Similar phases of matter are currently being studied in other material systems as well, most notably in high-temperature superconductors. The thesis stands out not only in terms of its contribution to improving readers' grasp of physics, but also in the diversity and novelty of the measurement techniques employed, which take advantage of the interaction between the electrons and the surrounding crystal lattice.

This book features a selection of articles based on the XXXIV Bialowieza Workshop on Geometric Methods in Physics, 2015. The articles presented are mathematically rigorous, include important physical implications and address the application of geometry in classical and quantum physics. Special attention deserves the session devoted to discussions of Gerard Emch's most important and lasting achievements in mathematical physics. The Bialowieza workshops are among the most important meetings in the field and gather participants from mathematics and physics alike. Despite their long tradition, the Workshops remain at the cutting edge of ongoing research. For the past several years, the Bialowieza Workshop has been followed by a School on Geometry and Physics, where advanced lectures for graduate students and young researchers are presented. The unique atmosphere of the Workshop and School is enhanced by the venue, framed by the natural beauty of the Bialowieza forest in eastern Poland.