Date: 6 July 2005

Time: 6.00 pm - 8.00 pm

Venue: LT31, NUS

Title: Laser cooling of atoms with laser light and Einstein's legacy.

Abstract:

Einstein is best known for his Special Theory of Relativity (1905) and General Theory of Relativity (1916). In addition to these towering contributions, Einstein played a crucial role in the creation of the quantum theory of matter. While he was not comfortable with the eventual formulation of quantum mechanics, he made many of the most seminal contributions to quantum mechanics. His analysis of the photoelectric effect, the specific heat of solids, and Brownian motion are part of the quartet of the most productive year famous . His realization that stimulated emission must exist formed the basis of the laser and his generalization and extension of the work of Bose led to his prediction of Bose-Einstein condensation.
This lecture will show how Einstein's legacy in quantum mechanics formed the basis of virtually all the work on the laser cooling and manipulation of atoms with laser light.