David Jackson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Dickinson College. He has been teaching all levels of undergraduate physics for the past 15 years. His main research expertise is in magnetic fluid pattern formation. He is also quite interested in physics education and has co-authored an activity-based text for non-science majors titled, Explorations in Physics. He is the Principle Investigator on a National Science Foundation CCLI grant focused on implementing single-photon quantum experiments in the undergraduate curriculum. Prior to embarking on this project, he had very little formal optics experience.
Assoc. Professor David P. Jackson, Dickinson College, Department of Physics and Astronomy, P.O. Box 1773, Carlisle, PA 17013. Email: jacksond@dickinson.edu. Telephone: 717-245-1073
Brett Pearson is an Assistant Professor in Dickinson College's Department of Physics and Astronomy. His research interests focus on the use of ultrafast lasers for measuring, imaging, and controlling molecular systems. Much of this work utilizes the quantum-mechanical properties of atoms and molecules, and he has recently become interested in using single-photon optics experiments as a way to demonstrate to undergraduate students the profound reality of nature at the quantum level. Brett has laboratory experience with light and its applications, including lasers, optics, and photon detection.
Professor Brett J. Pearson, Dickinson College, Department of Physics and Astronomy, P.O. Box 1773, Carlisle, PA 17013. Email: pearsonb@dickinson.edu. Telephone: 717-245-1049
Quantum mechanics is a subject that has long been taught in a completely theoretical manner. The basic tenets of quantum theory are non-intuitive and the results are almost unbelievable, even to those who claim to understand the theory. Yet when we teach this subject, we expect students to believe these strange results with little or no direct experimental evidence. Fortunately, it is now possible to perform quantum experiments in an undergraduate setting that demonstrate very clearly the strange reality of the quantum world.
This immersion will focus on single-photon quantum mechanics experiments. We will begin with a demonstration of why a simple Helium Neon laser cannot be used to conclusively demonstrate the existence of photons. Participants will then familiarize themselves with the process of spontaneous parametric down conversion and use it to develop a (heralded) single-photon source. Finally, these photons are fed into a Mach-Zehnder Interferometer to show how single quantum objects can seemingly take two distinct physical paths at the same time. In addition to performing the experiments, participants will take part in discussions aimed at understanding how to construct similar experiments and how to overcome some of the difficulties that exist. There will also be a discussion of how these experiments are used in our sophomore-level physics curriculum, including the theoretical description that is used. Although a rudimentary understanding of quantum mechanics is expected, minimal optics experience is required. Participants should bring a calculator and a notebook to the immersion.