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The key features of density-functional theory (DFT) within a minimalistic implementation of quantum electrodynamics are demonstrated, thus allowing to study elementary properties of quantum-electrodynamical density-functional theory…
In early 90's Mandel and coworkers performed an experiment \cite{mandel} to examine the significance of quantum phase operators by measuring the phase between two optical fields. We show that this type of quantum mechanical phase…
A generalized description of Talbot-Lau interference with matter waves is presented, which accounts for arbitrary grating interactions and realistic beam characteristics. The dispersion interaction between the beam particles and the optical…
This chapter reviews recent experiments on matter wave interferometry with large molecules. Starting from an elementary introduction to matter wave physics we discuss far-field diffraction and near-field interferometry with thermally…
We have investigated how the Rayleigh-Plateau instability of a filament made of a 41K-87Rb self-bound mixture may lead to an array of identical quantum droplets, with typical breaking times which are shorter than the lifetime of the…
We study C70 fullerene matter waves in a Talbot-Lau interferometer as a function of their temperature. While the ideal fringe visibility is observed at moderate molecular temperatures, we find a gradual degradation of the interference…
We use the density matrix formalism in order to calculate the energy level shifts, in second order on interaction, of an atom in the presence of a perfectly conducting wall in the dipole approximation. The thermal corrections are also…
In the early days of quantum mechanics Kapitza and Dirac predicted that matter waves would scatter off the optical intensity grating formed by two counter-propagating light waves [1]. This interaction, driven by the ponderomotive potential…
Electronic level alignment at the interface between an adsorbed molecular layer and a semiconducting substrate determines the activity and efficiency of many photocatalytic materials. Standard density functional theory (DFT) based methods…
The electronic wavefunctions of an atom or molecule are affected by its interactions with its environment. These interactions dictate electronic and optical processes at interfaces, and is especially relevant in the case of thin film…
We develop a new density functional theory (DFT) and formalism for correlated electron systems by taking as reference an interacting electron system that has a ground state wavefunction which obeys exactly the Gutzwiller approximation for…
Matter-wave interferometry performed with massive objects elucidates their wave nature and thus tests the quantum superposition principle at large scales. Whereas standard quantum theory places no limit on particle size, alternative, yet…
These lecture notes emerged from a contribution to the "Les Houches Summer School, Session CVII - Current Trends in Atomic Physics, July 2016". It is meant to serve students as a guide to a selection of topics that are currently at the…
We discuss recent advances towards matter-wave interference experiments with free beams of metallic and dielectric nanoparticles. They require a brilliant source, an efficient detection scheme and a coherent method to divide the de Broglie…
The Quantum-Electrodynamical Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (QED-TDDFT) equations are solved by time propagating the wave function on a tensor product of a Fock-space and real-space grid. Applications for molecules in cavities…
We explore repulsive Fermi polarons in one-dimensional harmonically trapped few-body mixtures of ultracold atoms using as a case example a $^6$Li-$^{40}$K mixture. A characterization of these quasiparticle-like states, whose appearance is…
The limitation of the Quasilinear Theory (QLT) to describe the diffusion of electrons and ions in velocity space when interacting with a spectrum of large amplitude electrostatic Langmuir, Upper and Lower hybrid waves, is analyzed. We…
Advancements in physics are often motivated/accompanied by advancements in our precision measurements abilities. The current generation of atomic and optical interferometers is limited by shot noise, a fundamental limit when estimating a…
A Fabry-Perot-type interferometer is experimentally realized for electrons in a semiconductor device. A special experimental geometry creates interference conditions for co-propagating electrons in quantum Hall edge states, which results in…
A mixed quantum-classical approach to simulate the coupled dynamics of electrons and nuclei in nanoscale molecular systems is presented. The method relies on a second order expansion of the Lagrangian in time-dependent density functional…