Prof. Mark Beck from the Dept. of Physics at Whitman College recently published an excellent book titled “Quantum Mechanics: Theory and Experiment.” It is written for an advanced undergraduate/graduate quantum mechanics class. This book presents the theory in its full formalism (with thorough, high-level math), as well as describes five laboratory experiments that explore the use of entangled photons in the undergraduate lab.
Prof. Beck’s laboratory experiments use the same type of system as we describe in Chapter 8 of Exploring Quantum Physics Through Hands-On Projects, so if you are up to the math, we heartily recommend this book to continue your exploration with your entangled-photon system.
The lab experiments in Prof. Beck’s book are:
- Spontaneous Parametric Downconversion
- “Proof” of the existence of Photons
- Single-Photon Interference
- Quantum State Measurement
- Testing Local Realism
On the theory side, Prof. Beck’s book begins the presentation of quantum mechanics using photon polarization as a prototypical two-dimensional quantum system. It also has chapters describing quantum measurement, entanglement, quantum field theory and quantum information. All of these are treated with full mathematical formalism, which makes the book appropriate for advanced Physics and Engineering undergraduates and graduates.