Faculty of Science

Open Quantum Systems
Provider: Faculty of Science

Activity no.: 5931-26-00-00	There are 23 available seats
	Enrollment deadline: 27/01/2026

Place	Niels Bohr Institute
Date and time	10.02.2026, at: 00:00 - 10.03.2026, at: 16:00
Regular seats	25
Lecturers	Klaus Mølmer
ECTS credits	2.50

Contact person	Klaus Mølmer E-mail address: klaus.molmer@nbi.ku.dk

Enrolment Handling/Course Organiser	PhD Administration SCIENCE E-mail address: phdcourses@science.ku.dk

Enrolment guidelines This is a toolbox course where 80% of the seats are reserved to PhD students enrolled at the Faculty of SCIENCE at UCPH and 20% of the seats are reserved to PhD students from other Danish Universities/faculties (except CBS). Seats will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and according to the applicable rules. Anyone can apply for the course, but if you are not a PhD student at a Danish university (except CBS), you will be placed on the waiting list until enrollment deadline. After the enrollment deadline, available seats will be allocated to applicants on the waiting list. Aim and Content The purpose of the course is to present various methods to describe so-called open quantum systems, i.e. systems that interact with their environment, leading to decay, dissipation, leakage of information. Applications include assessment of errors in quantum computers, sensing with non-classical states of matter, understanding the dynamics (e.g., light-matter interaction, transport) of quantum systems in nonequilibrium settings. 1. Motivation, brief review of physical quantum systems and their environments: atoms and light, spins and phonons, superconducting qubits and spin baths, cavities and resonators with internal and leakage losses, motional oscillators and their “mounts”, quantum dots, defects and phonons, … . 2. Markov approximation, (Lindblad) master equation, quantum regression theorem. Alternative forms of master equations, Redfield, Nakajima-Zwanzig equation, Vernon-Feynman influence functional theory. 3. Photodetection theory and elements of general quantum measurement theory, quantum trajectories, quantum sensing with continuously probed quantum systems. 4. Reservoir engineering, combined coherent and dissipative generation of useful quantum states, strategies to reduce environment coupling, “quantum error correction”. 5. Elements of Quantum Thermodynamics. Work and Heat, fluctuations, transport. Learning outcomes Intended learning outcome for the students who complete the course: Knowledge: • Know the essential environmental influences on different quantum systems • Know the formalism to solve dynamics of quantum systems with dissipation and loss • Know the connection between deterministic average dynamics and stochastic conditional dynamics Skills: • Ability to model and solve the master equation for simple quantum systems, e.g., with QuTip. • Ability to model and solve stochastic wave function dynamics for an observed quantum system, e.g., with QuTip. • Build and work with Master Equation and Stochastic Schrödinger Equation solvers. Competences: • Being able to assess and account for the interplay between dissipation and unitary dynamics of a quantum system, based on reading if current literature • Being able to judge the importance of full versus simplified approaches (when can coupling to an environment be simplified or even neglected). Target Group PHD students specializing in quantum physics, condensed matter physics, quantum information science and quantum computing. We expect the students to come mainly from KU, but will be happy to welcome students from ITU, DTU, and other Danish universities. Recommended Academic Qualifications Bachelor level in physics, Quantum Mechanics 1 and 2 (basic formalism, perturbation theory). Research Area Quantum physics, quantum optics, condensed matter theory, quantum information Teaching and Learning Methods The course will be based on lectures, and exercise material will be provided for self study. Type of Assessment The course will be passed by active participation and presentation of a modern research article. Course coordinator Klaus Mølmer Dates 10. February – 10 March 2026 10 February 17 February 24 February 3 March 10 March Expected frequency If the course is recurrent and held at specific times each year, or you already know when the course is scheduled to be held again, you can state it here. Course fee • PhD student enrolled at SCIENCE: 0 DKK • PhD student from Danish PhD school Open market: 0 DKK • PhD student from Danish PhD school not Open market: 3000 DKK • PhD student from foreign university: 3000 DKK • Master's student from Danish university: 0 DKK • Master's student from foreign university: 3000 DKK • Non-PhD student employed at a university (e.g., postdocs): 3000 DKK • Non-PhD student not employed at a university (e.g., from a private company): 8400 DKK Cancellation policy • Cancellations made up to two weeks before the course starts are free of charge. • Cancellations made less than two weeks before the course starts will be charged a fee of DKK 3.000 • Participants with less than 80% attendance cannot pass the course and will be charged a fee of DKK 5.000 • No-show will result in a fee of DKK 5.000 • Participants who fail to hand in any mandatory exams or assignments cannot pass the course and will be charged a fee of DKK 5.000 Course fee and participant fee PhD courses offered at the Faculty of SCIENCE have course fees corresponding to different participant types. In addition to the course fee, there might also be a participant fee. If the course has a participant fee, this will apply to all participants regardless of participant type - and in addition to the course fee.

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