Duke Physics Colloquium: Nano-Electronics using Quantum Circuits as Artificial Atoms on a Chip

Recent technological advances have made it possible to implement atomic-physics and quantum-optics experiments on a chip using artificial atoms. These artificial atoms can be made from either semiconductor quantum dots and, more often, from superconducting circuits. Superconducting circuits based on Josephson junctions exhibit macroscopic quantum coherence and can behave like artificial atoms. Novel electronic devices are being explored with these type of superconducting (low-power-consumption) electronics. This talk presents a pedagogical (and, hopefully, entertaining) brief introduction to this rapidly advancing field. Coffee and cookies will be served before the event in room 130.