Theoretical studies- Complex materials - Department of Physics
Topics from theoretical physics
Diffusion in granular traffic flows and quantum optics
We have focused our attention on the large-time statistical properties of granular flows.
In this study use has been made of properties of stochastic differential equations. Some features of the large-time behavior can be interpreted as anomalous diffusion. We have shown that such an anomalous diffusion can be described in terms of a conventional memory function in contrast to the sometimes used method of fractional derivatives. We have also studied the appearance of anomalous diffusion and solitary waves in some non-linear systems.
In the field of cavity quantum electrodynamics we have studied the Purcell effect for atoms close to superconducting bodies. We have suggested that the low-frequency dielectric properties of superconducting bodies, which to a large extent is poorly understood, can be investigated by means of spontaneous emission of atoms.
Deviation from exponential decay at small and large times has also been investigated in great detail mainly in terms of numerical simulations. A quantum-optics derivation of interference effects in a Michelson-Morley setup for general quantum states has been worked out.
The research project on the human eye as a quantum-mechanical detector of photons has continued. Various features of a predictive model for the response of the human eye on low intensity (quantum) light have been investigated.
