'Written by young theoretical physicists who are experts in the field, this volume is meant both to provide an introduction to the field and to offer a review of the latest developments, not discussed in many other existing books, for senior researchers. It will also appeal to scientists who do not work directly on LQG but are interested in issues at the interface of general relativity and quantum physics.'CERN CourierThis volume presents a snapshot of the state-of-the-art in loop quantum gravity from the perspective of younger leading researchers. It takes the reader from the basics to recent advances, thereby bridging an important gap.The aim is two-fold - to provide a contemporary introduction to the entire field for students and post-docs, and to present an overview of the current status for more senior researchers. The contributions include the latest developments that are not discussed in existing books, particularly recent advances in quantum dynamics both in the Hamiltonian and sum over histories approaches; and applications to cosmology of the early universe and to the quantum aspects of black holes.

'Written by young theoretical physicists who are experts in the field, this volume is meant both to provide an introduction to the field and to offer a review of the latest developments, not discussed in many other existing books, for senior researchers. It will also appeal to scientists who do not work directly on LQG but are interested in issues at the interface of general relativity and quantum physics.'CERN CourierThis volume presents a snapshot of the state-of-the-art in loop quantum gravity from the perspective of younger leading researchers. It takes the reader from the basics to recent advances, thereby bridging an important gap.The aim is two-fold - to provide a contemporary introduction to the entire field for students and post-docs, and to present an overview of the current status for more senior researchers. The contributions include the latest developments that are not discussed in existing books, particularly recent advances in quantum dynamics both in the Hamiltonian and sum over histories approaches; and applications to cosmology of the early universe and to the quantum aspects of black holes.

This is a book presenting to a wide audience of readers, ranging from fans of science to professional researchers, some of the authors' recent discoveries in three distinct, but intimately related domains: probability theory (Bertrand's paradox), observation in physics (the measurement problem) and the modeling of experiments in psychology (quantum cognition). In all three of these domains of investigation, and the associated problems, the authors explain how to advantageously use the key notion of universal measurement, which constitutes the fil rouge of the whole text.

This is a book presenting to a wide audience of readers, ranging from fans of science to professional researchers, some of the authors' recent discoveries in three distinct, but intimately related domains: probability theory (Bertrand's paradox), observation in physics (the measurement problem) and the modeling of experiments in psychology (quantum cognition). In all three of these domains of investigation, and the associated problems, the authors explain how to advantageously use the key notion of universal measurement, which constitutes the fil rouge of the whole text.

This book provides an in-depth and rigorous study of the Wigner transform and its variants. They are presented first within a context of a general mathematical framework, and then through applications to quantum mechanics. The Wigner transform was introduced by Eugene Wigner in 1932 as a probability quasi-distribution which allows expression of quantum mechanical expectation values in the same form as the averages of classical statistical mechanics. It is also used in signal processing as a transform in time-frequency analysis, closely related to the windowed Gabor transform.Written for advanced-level students and professors in mathematics and mathematical physics, it is designed as a complete textbook course providing analysis on the most important research on the subject to date. Due to the advanced nature of the content, it is also suitable for research mathematicians, engineers and chemists active in the field.

This book provides an in-depth and rigorous study of the Wigner transform and its variants. They are presented first within a context of a general mathematical framework, and then through applications to quantum mechanics. The Wigner transform was introduced by Eugene Wigner in 1932 as a probability quasi-distribution which allows expression of quantum mechanical expectation values in the same form as the averages of classical statistical mechanics. It is also used in signal processing as a transform in time-frequency analysis, closely related to the windowed Gabor transform.Written for advanced-level students and professors in mathematics and mathematical physics, it is designed as a complete textbook course providing analysis on the most important research on the subject to date. Due to the advanced nature of the content, it is also suitable for research mathematicians, engineers and chemists active in the field.

Among the subjects covered in this volume are the topological effects of quantum mechanics, including Bohm-Aharonov and Aharonov-Casher effects and their generalisations; the toroidal moments, anapoles and their generalisations; the numerical investigation of Tonomura experiments testing the foundations of quantum mechanics; the time-dependent Bohm-Aharonov effect, the thorough study of toroidal solenoids and their use as effective transmitters of electromagnetic waves; and the topical questions of the Vavilov-Cherenkov radiation. Furthermore, concrete advice is given for the construction of magnetic and electric solenoids and the performance of experiments on the Bohm-Aharonov effect. In addition, properties of remarkable charge-current configurations and practical applications are studied. Audience: This volume will be of interest to postgraduate students and researchers dealing with new effective sources of electromagnetic waves.

Light and Vacuum presents a synthesis of selected fundamental topics of electromagnetic wave theory and quantum electrodynamics (QED) and analyzes the main theoretical difficulties encountered to ensure a coherent mathematical description of the simultaneous wave-particle nature of light, put in evidence by the experiments. The notion and the role of the quantum vacuum, strongly related to light, are extensively investigated.Classical electrodynamics issued from Maxwell's equations revealed the necessity of introducing the notion of volume for an electromagnetic wave to stand entailing precise values of cut-off wavelengths to account for the shape and dimensions of the surrounding space. Conversely, in QED, light is considered to be composed of point particles disregarding the conceptual question on how the frequency of oscillating electric and magnetic fields may be attributed to a point particle.To conciliate these concepts, the book provides a comprehensive overview of the author's work, including innovative contributions on the quantization of the vector potential amplitude at a single photon state, the non-local simultaneous wave-particle mathematical representation of the photon and finally the quantum vacuum. The purpose of the advanced elaborations is to raise questions, give hints and answers, and finally aspire for further theoretical and experimental studies in order to improve our knowledge and understanding on the real essence of Light and Vacuum.In this new edition, improvements have been made to the various chapters taking into account the actual status of the knowledge in this field. The photon wave function is further analyzed and a new concept of quantum vacuum is advanced compatible with recent astrophysical observations.

The matter in our universe is composed of electrons and quarks. The dynamics of electrons and quarks is described by the Standard Model of particle physics, which is based on quantum field theories. The general framework of quantum field theories is described in this book. After the classical mechanics and the relativistic mechanics the details of classical scalar fields, of electrodynamics and of quantum mechanics are discussed. Then the quantization of scalar fields, of spinor fields and of vector fields is described.The basic interactions are described by gauge theories. These theories are discussed in detail, in particular the gauge theories of quantum electrodynamics (QED) and of quantum chromodynamics (QCD), based on the gauge group SU(3). In both theories the gauge bosons, the photon and the gluons, have no mass. The gauge theory of the electroweak interactions, based on the gauge group SU(2) x U(1), describes both the electromagnetic and the weak interactions. The weak force is generated by the exchange of the weak bosons. They have a large mass, and one believes that these masses are generated by a spontaneous breaking of the gauge symmetry.It might be that the strong and the electroweak interactions are unified at very high energies ('Grand Unification'). The gauge groups SU(3) and SU(2) x U(1) must be subgroups of a big gauge group, describing the Grand Unification. Two such theories are discussed, based on the gauge groups SU(5) and SO(10).

The Physics of Quantum Mechanics aims to give students a good understanding of how quantum mechanics describes the material world. It shows that the theory follows naturally from the use of probability amplitudes to derive probabilities. It stresses that stationary states are unphysical mathematical abstractions that enable us to solve the theory's governing equation, the time-dependent Schroedinger equation. Every opportunity is taken to illustrate the emergence of the familiar classical, dynamical world through the quantum interference of stationary states. The text stresses the continuity between the quantum world and the classical world, which is merely an approximation to the quantum world. The connections between observables, operators and transformations are clearly explained and the standard commutation rules derived from the properties of spacetime. A chapter is devoted to entanglement, quantum computation, density operators and their role in thermodynamics, and the measurement problem. Scattering phenomena, including the origin of radioactivity, are handled early on in the accessible context of one dimension, and at the end of the book with some rigour in three dimensions. Hydrogen and helium are discussed in some detail and it is shown that quantum mechanics enables us to understand the structure of the periodic table without engaging with the complexities of many-electron atoms. Dirac notation is used from the outset and students are trained to move easily from one representation to another, choosing whichever representation is best suited to a particular problem. The mathematical prerequisites are no more than simple vector algebra, Taylor series expansion and the use of integrating factors to solve linear first order differential equations. Rigorous algebraic methods are preferred to the solution of partial differential equations.

Dissipative forces play an important role in problems of classical as well as quantum mechanics. Since these forces are not among the basic forces of nature, it is essential to consider whether they should be treated as phenomenological interactions used in the equations of motion, or they should be derived from other conservative forces. In this book we discuss both approaches in detail starting with the Stoke's law of motion in a viscous fluid and ending with a rather detailed review of the recent attempts to understand the nature of the drag forces originating from the motion of a plane or a sphere in vacuum caused by the variations in the zero-point energy. In the classical formulation, mathematical techniques for construction of Lagrangian and Hamiltonian for the variational formulation of non-conservative systems are discussed at length. Various physical systems of interest including the problem of radiating electron, theory of natural line width, spin-boson problem, scattering and trapping of heavy ions and optical potential models of nuclear reactions are considered and solved.

Dissipative forces play an important role in problems of classical as well as quantum mechanics. Since these forces are not among the basic forces of nature, it is essential to consider whether they should be treated as phenomenological interactions used in the equations of motion, or they should be derived from other conservative forces. In this book we discuss both approaches in detail starting with the Stoke's law of motion in a viscous fluid and ending with a rather detailed review of the recent attempts to understand the nature of the drag forces originating from the motion of a plane or a sphere in vacuum caused by the variations in the zero-point energy. In the classical formulation, mathematical techniques for construction of Lagrangian and Hamiltonian for the variational formulation of non-conservative systems are discussed at length. Various physical systems of interest including the problem of radiating electron, theory of natural line width, spin-boson problem, scattering and trapping of heavy ions and optical potential models of nuclear reactions are considered and solved.

Quantum Optics for Engineers provides a transparent and methodical introduction to quantum optics via the Dirac's bra-ket notation with an emphasis on practical applications and basic aspects of quantum mechanics such as Heisenberg's uncertainty principle and Schrodinger's equation. Self-contained and using mainly first-year calculus and algebra tools, the book: Illustrates the interferometric quantum origin of fundamental optical principles such as diffraction, refraction, and reflection Provides a transparent introduction, via Dirac's notation, to the probability amplitude of quantum entanglement Explains applications of the probability amplitude of quantum entanglement to optical communications, quantum cryptography, quantum teleportation, and quantum computing. Quantum Optics for Engineers is succinct, transparent, and practical, revealing the intriguing world of quantum entanglement via many practical examples. Ample illustrations are used throughout its presentation and the theory is presented in a methodical, detailed approach.

Homological mirror symmetry has its origins in theoretical physics but is now of great interest in mathematics due to the deep connections it reveals between different areas of geometry and algebra. This book offers a self-contained and accessible introduction to the subject via the representation theory of algebras and quivers. It is suitable for graduate students and others without a great deal of background in homological algebra and modern geometry. Each part offers a different perspective on homological mirror symmetry. Part I introduces the A-infinity formalism and offers a glimpse of mirror symmetry using representations of quivers. Part II discusses various A- and B-models in mirror symmetry and their connections through toric and tropical geometry. Part III deals with mirror symmetry for Riemann surfaces. The main mathematical ideas are illustrated by means of simple examples coming mainly from the theory of surfaces, helping the reader connect theory with intuition.

'All are every interesting topics treated with a high level of mathematical sophistication. One of the very useful tricks the author repeatedly resorts to is the introduction of one-parameter families of operators interpolating between two operators which appear naturally in the formalism. From this one-parameter family a differential equation for the determinant (or ratio of determinants) or for correlation functions is derived, which can then be solved. This is a very simple, elegant and powerful technique.'Mathematical Reviews ClippingsFunctional Integrals is a well-established method in mathematical physics, especially those mathematical methods used in modern non-perturbative quantum field theory and string theory. This book presents a unique, original and modern treatment of strings representations on Bosonic Quantum Chromodynamics and Bosonization theory on 2d Gauge Field Models, besides of rigorous mathematical studies on the analytical regularization scheme on Euclidean quantum field path integrals and stochastic quantum field theory. It follows an analytic approach based on Loop space techniques, functional determinant exact evaluations and exactly solubility of four dimensional QCD loop wave equations through Elfin Botelho fermionic extrinsic self avoiding string path integrals.

This breakthrough volume touts having dissolved the remaining barriers to implementing Bulk Universal Quantum Computing (UQC), and as such most likely describes the most advanced QC development platform. Numerous books, hundreds of patents, thousands of papers and a Googolplex of considerations fill the pantheon of QC R&D. Of late QC mathemagicians claim QCs already exist; but by what chimeric definition. Does flipping a few qubits in a logic gate without an algorithm qualify as quantum computing? In physics, theory bears little weight without rigorous experimental confirmation, less if new, radical or a paradigm shift. This volume develops quantum computing based on '3rd regime' physics of Unified Field Mechanics (UFM). What distinguishes this work from a myriad of other avenues to UQC under study? Virtually all R&D paths struggle with technology and decoherence. If highly favored room-sized cryogenically cooled QCs ever become successful, they would be reminiscent of the city block-sized Eniac computer of 1946. The QC prototype proposed herein is room temperature and tabletop. It is dramatically different in that it is not confined to the limitations of quantum mechanics; since it is based on principles of UFM the Uncertainty Principle and Decoherence no longer apply. Thus this QC model could be implemented on any other quantum platform!

Operational Quantum Theory I is a distinguished work on quantum theory at an advanced algebraic level. The classically oriented hierarchy with objects such as particles as the primary focus, and interactions of these objects as the secondary focus is reversed with the operational interactions as basic quantum structures. Quantum theory, specifically nonrelativistic quantum mechanics, is developed from the theory of Lie group and Lie algebra operations acting on both finite and infinite dimensional vector spaces. In this book, time and space related finite dimensional representation structures and simple Lie operations, and as a non-relativistic application, the Kepler problem which has long fascinated quantum theorists, are dealt with in some detail. Operational Quantum Theory I features many structures which allow the reader to better understand the applications of operational quantum theory, and to provide conceptually appropriate descriptions of the subject. Operational Quantum Theory I aims to understand more deeply on an operational basis what one is working with in nonrelativistic quantum theory, but also suggests new approaches to the characteristic problems of quantum mechanics.

Quantum Theory, together with the principles of special and general relativity, constitute a scientific revolution that has profoundly influenced the way in which we think about the universe and the fundamental forces that govern it. The Historical Development of Quantum Theory is a definitive historical study of that scientific work and the human struggles that accompanied it from the beginning. Drawing upon such materials as the resources of the Archives for the History of Quantum Physics, the Niels Bohr Archives, and the archives and scientific correspondence of the principal quantum physicists, as well as Jagdish Mehra's personal discussions over many years with most of the architects of quantum theory, the authors have written a rigorous scientific history of quantum theory in a deeply human context. This multivolume work presents a rich account of an intellectual triumph: a unique analysis of the creative scientific process. The Historical Development of Quantum Theory is science, history, and biography, all wrapped in the story of a great human enterprise. Its lessons will be an aid to those working in the sciences and humanities alike.||Comments by distinguished physicists on "The Historical Development of Quantum Theory":||"¿the most definitive work undertaken by anyone on this vast and most important development in the history of physics. Jagdish Mehra, trained in theoretical physics under Pauli, Heisenberg, and Dirac, pursued the vision of his youth to write about the historical and conceptual development of quantum theory in the 20th century¿This series of books on the HDQT has thus become the most authentic and permanent source of our knowledge of how quantum theory, its extensions and applications developed. My heartfelt congratulations."|-Hans A. Bethe, Nobel Laureate||"A thrilling and magnificent achievement!"|-Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, FRS, Nobel Laureate||"¿capture(s) precisely, accurately, and thoroughly the very essence and all the fundamental details of the theory, and that is a remarkable achievement¿I have greatly enjoyed reading these books and learned so many new things from them. This series of books will remain a permanent source of knowledge about the creation and development of quantum theory. Congratulations!"|-Paul A. Dirac, FRS, Nobel Laureate||"The wealth and accuracy of detail in 'The Historical Development of Quantum Theory' are breathtaking."|-Richard P. Feynman, Nobel Laureate

This volume goes beyond the understanding of symmetries and exploits them in the study of the behavior of both classical and quantum physical systems. Thus it is important to study the symmetries described by continuous (Lie) groups of transformations. We then discuss how we get operators that form a Lie algebra. Of particular interest to physics is the representation of the elements of the algebra and the group in terms of matrices and, in particular, the irreducible representations. These representations can be identified with physical observables.This leads to the study of the classical Lie algebras, associated with unitary, unimodular, orthogonal and symplectic transformations. We also discuss some special algebras in some detail. The discussion proceeds along the lines of the Cartan-Weyl theory via the root vectors and root diagrams and, in particular, the Dynkin representation of the roots. Thus the representations are expressed in terms of weights, which are generated by the application of the elements of the algebra on uniquely specified highest weight states. Alternatively these representations can be described in terms of tensors labeled by the Young tableaux associated with the discrete symmetry Sn. The connection between the Young tableaux and the Dynkin weights is also discussed. It is also shown that in many physical systems the quantum numbers needed to specify the physical states involve not only the highest symmetry but also a number of sub-symmetries contained in them. This leads to the study of the role of subalgebras and in particular the possible maximal subalgebras. In many applications the physical system can be considered as composed of subsystems obeying a given symmetry. In such cases the reduction of the Kronecker product of irreducible representations of classical and special algebras becomes relevant and is discussed in some detail. The method of obtaining the relevant Clebsch-Gordan (C-G) coefficients for such algebras is discussed and some relevant algorithms are provided. In some simple cases suitable numerical tables of C-G are also included.The above exposition contains many examples, both as illustrations of the main ideas as well as well motivated applications. To this end two appendices of 51 pages - 11 tables in Appendix A, summarizing the material discussed in the main text and 39 tables in Appendix B containing results of more sophisticated examples are supplied. Reference to the tables is given in the main text and a guide to the appropriate section of the main text is given in the tables.

Carbon nanotubes and graphene have been the subject of intense scientific research since their relatively recent discoveries. This book introduces the reader to the science behind these rapidly developing fields, and covers both the fundamentals and latest advances. Uniquely, this book covers the topics in a pedagogical manner suitable for undergraduate students. The book also uses the simple systems of nanotubes and graphene as models to teach concepts such as molecular orbital theory, tight binding theory and the Laue treatment of diffraction. Suitable for undergraduate students with a working knowledge of basic quantum mechanics, and for postgraduate researchers commencing their studies into the field, this book will equip the reader to critically evaluate the physical properties and potential for applications of graphene and carbon nanotubes.

The arrow of time and the meaning of quantum mechanics are two of the great mysteries of modern physics. This important new book throws fascinating new light on both issues, and connects them in a wholly original way.

Price shows that for over a century physicists have fallen repeatedly into the same trap when trying to understand the arrow of time: treating the past and future in different ways. To overcome this natural tendency, we need to imagine a point outside time - an Archimedean viewpoint as Price calls it - from which to think about the arrow of time in an unbiased way.

Taking this Archimedean viewpoint Price asks why we assume that the past affects the future but not vice-versa, and argues that causation is much more symmetric in microphysics: to a limited extent - the future does affect the past. Thus Price avoids the usual paradoxes of quantum mechanics, without succumbing to the rival paradoxes of causal loops and time travel.

This volume is a compilation of lectures delivered at the TASI 2015 summer school, 'New Frontiers in Fields and Strings', held at the University of Colorado Boulder in June 2015. The school focused on topics in theoretical physics of interest to contemporary researchers in quantum field theory and string theory. The lectures are accessible to graduate students in the initial stages of their research careers.

The second edition of this book deals, as the first, with the foundations of classical physics from the 'symplectic' point of view, and of quantum mechanics from the 'metaplectic' point of view. We have revised and augmented the topics studied in the first edition in the light of new results, and added several new sections. The Bohmian interpretation of quantum mechanics is discussed in detail. Phase space quantization is achieved using the 'principle of the symplectic camel', which is a deep topological property of Hamiltonian flows. We introduce the notion of 'quantum blob', which can be viewed as the fundamental phase space unit. The mathematical tools developed in this book are the theory of the symplectic and metaplectic group, the Maslov index in a rigorous form, and the Leray index of a pair of Lagrangian planes. The concept of the 'metatron' is introduced, in connection with the Bohmian theory of motion. The short-time behavior of the propagator is studied and applied to the quantum Zeno effect.

Symmetries play a fundamental role in physics. Non-Abelian gauge symmetries are the symmetries behind theories for massless spin-1 particles, while the reparametrization symmetry is behind Einstein's gravity theory for massless spin-2 particles. In supersymmetric theories these particles can be connected also to massless fermionic particles. Does Nature stop at spin-2 or can there also be massless higher spin theories. In the past strong indications have been given that such theories do not exist. However, in recent times ways to evade those constraints have been found and higher spin gauge theories have been constructed. With the advent of the AdS/CFT duality correspondence even stronger indications have been given that higher spin gauge theories play an important role in fundamental physics.All these issues were discussed at a recent international workshop in Singapore where the leading scientists in the field participated. This volume presents an up-to-date, detailed overview of the theories including its historic background, as well as the latest accomplishments in understanding the foundational properties of higher spin physics.