Aephraim M. Steinberg

Office: MP 1103
Tel.: x8-0713
Email: my last name at physics dot utoronto dot ca

(This page is mostly archival, and has not been maintained except for my list of courses since the previous century.)
Click here to go back to my DEPARTMENTAL HOME PAGE, with information on our research projects in the Quantum Optics group at the Department of Physics of the University of Toronto.

I am also a principal investigator in Photonics Research Ontario (the former Ontario Laser and Lightwave Research Centre), a Fellow of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, an affiliate member of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, and at times a principal investigator in the Canadian Institute for Photonic Innovations.
I am also past director of U of T's Centre for Quantum Information and Quantum Control, and a member of our new Institute for Optical Sciences.

Click here to see an early photo of our trapped atoms!

Home page table of contents

• (Old) publication list and links to selected articles
• (Newer) publication list and links
• Physics 2108-S1 (Multi-photon interference)
• Physics 256F (Intro. Quantum Physics)
• JPH 441S (Physical Science in Contemporary Society)
• Physics 2206F (Quantum Measurement in the World)
• Physics 189S (Physics at the Cutting Edge)
• Physics 2203S (Quantum Optics I)
• Physics 201F (Concepts of Physics)
• Physics 356F (Quantum Mechanics I)
• Physics 2206S (Experimental Quantum Measurement)
• Physics 294S (Modern Physics)
• Physics 2206F (Experimental Quantum Measurement)
• Physics 426-et-cetera (Advanced Lab)
• Physics 100 (Magic of Physics)
• Physics 2209 (Semiclassical Optics)
• Physics 140 (Foundations of Physics)
• Experimental Issues in Quantum Measurement
• Physics 342S (Current Questions in Math and Science)
• Physics 2210S (Quantum Information)
• Physics 2206S (Atomic Physics)
• 3d & 4th year physics laboratory ({3,4}-25,6,7)
• Physics 485/1485F (Modern Optics)
• Physics 2313S (Bose-Einstein Condensation)
• Physics 2107F (Experimental Methods)
• Links to my previous locations
• Links to various people
• Search tools
• Physics links
• Bose-Einstein condensation links
• Books and journals
• Links to selected suppliers
• Links to some departments
• Etc...
• Or a much longer list of bookmarks I've visited.

Home page contents

• In Winter 2024, I am teaching PHY 2205 = Quantum Measurement once more.

• In Fall 2023, I taught PHY256 again.

• In the second half of Winter/Spring 2023, I taught a modular grad course on Pushing atoms around with light: from coherent atom-photon interactions to slowing, cooling, and trapping atoms
• In the first half of Winter/Spring 2023, I taught a modular grad course on Classic experiments in multi-photon interference ("an approach to quantum foundations & quantum information"). The Piazza web page is https://piazza.com/class/lci74flzbfc39z.
• For much of Covid, I apparently forgot to update this web page.
• In Autumn 2020, I am excited to return to teaching Introduction to Quantum Physics (PHY 256F).
  
  
• In Winter/Spring 2020, I taught Physical Science in Contemporary Society (JPH441).
  
  
• In Autumn 2019, I was on sabbatical.
  
  
• In Spring 2019, I was one of the advanced lab instructors again.
  
  
• In Autumn 2018, I taught Introduction to Quantum Physics (PHY 256F).
  
  
• In Spring 2018, I was on sabbatical.
  
  
• In Autumn 2017, I taught Quantum Measurement in the World (PHY2206F) .
  
  
• For a few years, I forgot to update this page.
  
  
• In Spring 2014, I ran a course to expose a select group of first-year students to current topics in physics, building on the colloquium series: Physics at the Cutting Edge (PHY189S).
  
  
• In Spring 2014, I taught a version of Quantum Optics I (PHY2203S) I first updated in 2013.
  
  
• In Fall 2013 and in Fall 2012, I taught Quantum Mechanics I (PHY356F) again.
  
  
• In Fall 2012, I taught Concepts of Physics (PHY201F) again.
  
  
• In Spring 2012, I taught Experimental Quantum Measurement (PHY2206S) again.
  
  
• In Fall 2011, I taught Concepts of Physics (PHY201F).
  
  
• In Fall 2011, I taught Quantum Mechanics I (PHY356F).
  
  
• In 2010-2011, I was on sabbatical.
  
  
• In Spring 2010, Arun Paramekanti and I co-taught a course on Modern Physics (quantum mechanics) for the Engineering Science students.
  
  
• In Fall 2009, I taught a course on Experimental Quantum Measurement as PHY2206F(Special Topics in Quantum Optics).
  
  
• In Fall 2009, I was also one of the profs in the Advanced Physics Laboratory, PHY {3,4}2{4-9}.
  
  
• In 2007-8 and 2008-9, I was on a Steacie Fellowship and did no teaching or administration, except within my research group and on an occasional surreptitious volunteer basis.
  
  
• In Fall 2005 and 2006, I taught PHY 100: The Magic of Physics, which is intended to convey in a non-mathematical way both the method and some of the remarkable and startling discoveries of physics, from Galileo and Newton up to the mysteries of relativity, quantum mechanics, black holes, and string theory.
  
  
• In Spring 2006, and again in Spring 2007, I taught a new course called PHY 2209: Semiclassical Optics, which was essentially an updated and souped-up version of the version of PHY 1485 which I used to teach. It is now intended to follow on the heels of PHY 1520F and PHY 1860F (for more info on the graduate curriculum in quantum optics, see QO Grad Courses at U of T), and therefore concentrated on topics related to current research in light-matter interactions.
  
  
• In Spring 2005, I taught the second half of Foundations of Physics, continuing the experiment started by Stephen Morris of moving to more peer-based instruction and tablet PC-based lecturing. We covered waves & basic optics, electricity & magnetism, and an introduction to relativity and quantum physics.
  
  
• In 2005, I repeated a course we introduced to the St. George campus in 2003, Current Questions in Math and Science. This course is aimed principally at students in the Early Teacher Project, but is open to all students in the physics programmes.
  In addition to discussing specific topics in science and math (current or not-so), we examined issues in how science is actually carried out in the real world, how it is funded, how it is perceived, and what influences what types of science do or do not get done.
  
  The original web page for this course reads "Topics of current prominence in the physical sciences and mathematics are discussed. Topics change each year as the sciences evolve. Appropriate topics might include: high-temperature superconductivity, cosmology, chaos and non-linear dynamics." Today I'd be more likely to write "fraud in science, string theory, quantum computation, science and ethics, pure versus applied research, the space station, bioengineering, et cetera."
  

• In Fall 2003, I gave a series of lectures on Experimental Issues in Quantum Measurement while on sabbatical in Anton Zeilinger's group at the University of Vienna. In addition to reviewing some of the famous issues in quantum measurement (which-path experiments, EPR "paradox") and ideas relevant to quantum information processing, I discussed the variety of ways one can get complete or partial information about a single quantum system or an ensemble of them, and the surprises which are emerging now that people have begun to look beyond the "standard paradigm" of quantum measurement theory.
  
  
• In Spring 2002, Prof. Daniel Lidar of Chemistry and I jointly taught a course on Quantum Computation and Quantum Information Theory, also known as Advanced Quantum Mechanics, cross-listed as CHM 1446S and PHY 2210S. The official course page can be found at http://courses.ece.utoronto.ca/chm1446s/.
  This course combines theoretical and experimental perspectives on the rapid development of the new field of quantum information, demonstrating how quantum mechanics offers unique advantages for areas such as cryptography and computation, discussing possible experimental schemes, and treating some of the important open issues such as practical error-correction protocols.

• In Fall 1998-2002, I have taught Introduction to Quantum Physics (PHY 256F). I aim to convey a real sense of what is new and different about the quantum view of the world, without making things seem more mystical than they really are. Naturally, students will learn the basic tools of quantum mechanics. In addition, the course has comprised a writing component for 1999-2000, as part of the "Writing in the Disciplines" initiative, until funding for this effort evaporated.

• In Spring 2001, I taught Atomic Physics (PHY 2206S). This graduate-level course introduced a broad array of concepts from Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics which are useful throughout quantum mechanics.

• In the Falls of 1996-2002, I have taught Modern Optics (Physics 485/1485, now Physics 485/1860). In addition to semiclassical laser theory et cetera, we sometimes cover a number of hot topics in modern atomic physics & quantum optics, including laser cooling, Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen experiments, squeezed light, and generally as much as (or more than) can fit into a one-term course.

• In Spring 1999, Allan Griffin and I reprised the hit of the 1997 season, PHY 2313S (Laser Cooling and Bose-Einstein Condensation of Atomic Gases)

  (Picture of data from Wolfgang Ketterle's group-- this and other BEC links available here.)

• In 1997 and 1998, I also taught in the III & IV year physics laboratory (PHY 325/425/326/426/327/427 Y/F/S/H).

• In October, 1998, I also gave several lectures on our trials and tribulations with cold atoms, for Steve Morris's course on Experimental Methods in Physics, PHY 2107F.
  

• A quantum trajectory
  • I have been a professor at the University of Toronto since 1996. During the intervening 13 years, I have spent a sabbatical year shared between the University of Vienna and the Institut d'Optique, Orsay (now Palaiseau), and a three-month visit at the University of Queensland.
  • Until August 1996, I was a post-doc at NIST in Bill Phillips's laser cooling and trapping group.
  • Before that, I was a post-doc in the quantum optics group of Elisabeth Giacobino, Claude Fabre, & Serge Reynaud at the Laboratoire Kastler-Brossel.
  • I did my graduate work in Ray Chiao's research group in the Department of Physics at the University of California at Berkeley.
  • During my undergraduate work at Yale, I did my senior thesis with Prof. Ed Hinds (now at Imperial College). I continued this work with Prof. Serge Haroche of the Laboratoire de Spectroscopie Hertzienne (now known as the Laboratoire Kastler-Brossel).
  • Prior to that, I lived in New York, so when I'm not pretending to be a Parisian, or trying to learn to be a Torontonian, I still consider myself a New Yorker at heart.

• Some links to colleagues, friends, and crackpots (email if you feel left out)
  Peter Schiffer's home page
  Paul Kwiat's spanking-new home page
  UMBC Quantum Optics Group
  Welcher Institut für Experimentalphysik?
  Gershon Kurizki
  Jonathan P.Dowling
  Chris Metcalf's home page
  Michael L. Littman's Home Page
  Jeff Orszak's Bookmarks
  Juha Javanainen
  Jack Sarfatti's quantum mystic page
  

• Other miscellaneous links

  Search tools

  HotBot

  AltaVista: Main Page

  Yahoo Search

  WebCrawler Searching

  Lycos Search Form

  Switchboard

  Four11 White Page Directory

  Minitel Home Page

  HTML information

  Physics

  Quantum Optics and Atom Optics links

  Web-Elements

  Periodic Table

  Links to Various Individuals in the Field of Laser, Quantum, Atomic, and Molecular Physics

  Article by John Gribbin

  Superluminal Motion

  APS, Electronic Author Status Inquiry System (ASIS)

  Quantum Physics preprints

  Atomic Physics preprints

  Condensed Matter preprints

  all Los Alamos preprint archives

  Links to some "Cute" Articles about Quantum Optics/Atom Optics.

  Cavity quantum electrodynamics with a capital Q

  Quantum Optics Group, Chem. Phys. Dept, WIS.

  Many links to research groups involved in atom trapping

  Cold collision reference library

  Townes: The Infrared Spatial Interferometer

  Masahiro Kitagawa

  OSA Links

  Transition Probability (TP) References

  CONFMENU-B

  EUQO.96 (9.21-26)

  FQTH.96 (9.9-12)

  ZICAP

  DAMOP 1996

  BOSE-EINSTEIN CONDENSATION

  • Eric Cornell
  • Atomic Physics at Caltech
  • Wolfgang Ketterle
  • Ketterle Group Web Page
  • MIT press release on the condensate formed there
  • Carl Wieman
  • The Keith Burnett Group, Oxford University
  • GSU BEC Home Page (Mark Edwards)
  • JILA (NIST/UColorado).
  • JILA BEC press release.
  • R. Hulet Group, Rice University.
  • Images showing presence of a Bose-Einstein condensate
  • AMO Physics, Mass. Inst. of Tech.
  • B. Verhaar Group, Eindhoven Univ.
  • D. Heinzen Group, University of Texas.
  • Biography of S. N. Bose.
  • C. J. Foot Group, Oxford University.
  • Juha Javanainen
  • Sandro Stringari
  • Robert Dodd
  • Alan Griffin
  • J. T. M. Walraven article in europhysics news
  • Molecule of the Year: A New Form of Matter Unveiled

  Books & journals

  Laser Focus World

  Amazon.com Catalog Search

  Wordsworth Books

  IOP Publishing: Electronic Journals

  NIST Internal Information System

  NIST Virtual Library World Wide Web Home Page

  OCLC services for NIST staff

  Suppliers

  Melles Griot Fiber Optics Information - Application Notes

  Thorlabs, Inc Web Page

  New Focus

  Newport Corporation WWW Server

  vibration-free.html

  MWK Catalog Index Page

  Spectra-Physics Lasers - Home Page

  KEPCO, INC. HOME PAGE

  MDC Vacuum Components

  Varian Instruments Business Home Page

  //www.intraaction.com/

  NEOS Technologies Home Page

  Melles Griot

  Mini-Circuits

  Coherent, Inc.

  Environmental Optical Sensors, Inc.

  New Focus

  WaveMetrics Home Page

  Departments

  NIST Physics Laboratory

  Yale Physics

  Ecole Normale Superieure - Paris

  Jussieu

  UCB

  UR Physics and Astronomy Welcome Page

  UNM info

  University of Pennsylvania, Department of Physics and Astronomy

  Notre Dame

• Even more miscellaneous links

  • Canadian atomic fountain
  • The New York Times on the Web
  • The American Physical Society
  • Travel-o-city
  • A somewhat francophone clock for the Macintosh
  • Physics Related Internet Resources
  • A silly article I posted to sci.physics years ago, which won't die
  • Babar et les variables cachées
  • The Internet Movie Database
  • The TWINKIES page
  • WebMuseum: The WebMuseum network
  • PARIS.MUSEES.LOUVRE
  • American Institute of Physics HomePage.
  • PINET: The Physics Information NETwork
  • Lycos Search Engine
  • Quantum Optics and Atom Optics links
  • National Science Foundation (NSFNET)
  • NLM HyperDOC: NIH Online Information Services
  • Internet Library Catalogs (via Yale)
  • Mosaic Tunnels
  • Web Servers Directory
  • Mosaic What's New list
  • CARL UnCover Service (15,000 journals)
  • Roget's Thesaurus (pub. 1911) - U. of Oregon
  • News and Weather
  • National Weather
  • Internal Revenue Service
  • U.S. Department of Commerce Information Locator
  • Budget of the United States
  • Le serveur d'information WWW du Campus-Jussieu
  • Subway navigator (Jussieu)
  • FV: Account Application
  • Dilbert
  • Lycos search: iris murdoch
  • EDITORIAL OFFICES, THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY
  • APS, Electronic Author Status Inquiry System (ASIS)
  • U.S. News Online Text Menu
  • ElectionLine (1996 Elections Politics and News)
  • CCD Cameras
  • AWS U.S. Real Time Weather
  • A2Z : News & Information : Today's Weather