ECE 69500: Topological Electrodynamics
Lecture Hours: 3
Credits: 3
Areas of Specialization(s): Fields and Optics (FO)
Concurrent Prerequisite: ECE 60400
Catalog Description:
Exciting research trends in the fields of topological electronic materials have motivated a unique set of closely related phenomena in photonics and phononics. This course will introduce students to foundational ideas such as Pancharatnam-Berry Phase, Chern number, topological surface states, spin-momentum locking and quantum spin hall effect. These phenomena will be covered with themes that cross-cut the fields of electronics, photonics, and phononics.
Throughout the course, quantum and thermal engineering applications will be stressed. These include quantum communications, quantum gates, quantum memories, robust on-chip photonic-routing, spin-sensing, single photon detectors, and ultralow threshold lasing.
Required Text(s): None
Recommended Text(s): Chruscinski, Dariusz., and Andrzej. Jamiolkowski. Geometric Phases in Classical and Quantum Mechanics. 1st Ed. 2004. ed. 2004. Progress in Mathematical Physics, 36. Web.
Course Topics:
- Parity and time-reversal symmetry for fermions and bosons
- Introduction to spin and orbital angular momentum for fermions and bosons
- Topological quantization vs. second quantization
- Graphene as a model system for topological phase, Introduction to Geometric Phase and Chern number
- Dirac equation and Topological edge states
- Quantum and topological phase transitions, Quantum magnets
- Integer Quantum Hall Effect, Quantum Spin Hall Effect, Topological Insulators in 2D and 3D, Weyl semi-metals
- Selected experiments on topological phases of matter