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03: Schroedingers Cat – Quantum versus Classical World?

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Hauptschule
Seminar /
in englischer Sprache

Quantum mechanics is a very powerful theory that gives extremely precise predictions. It became the basis for modern high technology such as semiconducters, and thus computers, or lasers. However, this success came with a heavy price: Things happen at the micro-scopic realm that conflict with our ordinary notions of space, time and causality. Worse, the theory’s predic-tions fail at the macroscopic level.
In this course we will introduce some basic concepts like objective probability, superposition, entanglement, and Bell’s theorem. Then we will describe, in a non-technical manner, a variety of paradoxes associated with QM, and several surprising experiments as well as some pos-sible interpretations. We will include both real experi-ments like double-slit interference and thought experi-ments like Schroedinger’s cat paradox. This will lead to the discussion of technological promises including quantum cryptography and quantum computation. Finally we will also analyze quantum teleportation.

Department of Chemical Physics, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot Chair
Professor, Institut für Quantenoptik, Quantennanophysik und Quanteninformation sowie Vizedekan, Fakultät für Physik, Universität Wien; Wissenschaftlicher Direktor, Institut für Quantenoptik und Quanteninformation, ÖAW - Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Wien Chair

Dr. Avshalom C. ELITZUR

Department of Chemical Physics, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot

 Unit of Interdisciplinary Studies, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
 Visiting Professor, Birla Institute of Science and Technology, Mumbai, India
 Adjunct Lecturer, Feinberg Graduate School, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
 Adjunct Lecturer, Faculty of Humanities, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel

Dr. DDr.h.c. Anton ZEILINGER

Professor, Institut für Quantenoptik, Quantennanophysik und Quanteninformation sowie Vizedekan, Fakultät für Physik, Universität Wien; Wissenschaftlicher Direktor, Institut für Quantenoptik und Quanteninformation, ÖAW - Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Wien

1963-71 Study of Physics and Mathematics, Universität Wien
1971 Ph.D., Universität Wien, thesis on "Neutron Depolarization in Dysprosium Single Crystals" under Prof. H. Rauch
1979 Habilitation in Neutron and Solid State Physics, Techn. Univ. Wien
1972-81 'Universitätsassistent', Atominstitut Wien, under Prof. H. Rauch
1974-89 Guest Researcher (part-time), Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble, France
1977-78 Fulbright Fellow in the U.S.A., Research Associate at M.I.T. in the Neutron Diffraction Laboratory under Prof. C.G. Shull (Nobel Laureate 1994)
1981-83 Associate Professor of Physics, M.I.T.
1983-90 'Außerordentlicher Universitätsprofessor', Technische Universität Wien
1984 Visiting Professor, University of Melbourne, Australia
1986-89 Adjunct Full Professor, part-time, Hampshire College, Amherst, U.S.A.
1988-89 'Universitätsprofessor' (C4, sabbatical), Techn. Univ. München
1990-1999 'Ordentlicher Universitätsprofessor' (Full Professor) of Experimental Physics, Universität Innsbruck
1995 Visiting Professor, Collège de France, Paris
1996-1998 President, Austrian Physical Society
1998 Visiting Research Fellow, Merton College, Oxford University
1999-present "Ordentlicher Universitätsprofessor" of Experimental Physics, University of Vienna

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