Discussion Overview
The discussion centers around recommendations for modern textbooks on Quantum Optics, with participants exploring what constitutes "modern" in this context and sharing their personal experiences and preferences regarding various texts.
Discussion Character
- Exploratory
- Debate/contested
- Technical explanation
Main Points Raised
- Some participants suggest that "modern" refers to textbooks published within the last ten years, highlighting advancements in the field.
- One participant mentions their background in Quantum Field Theory in curved spacetime and expresses a need for recommendations suitable for students.
- Another participant, while not an expert in quantum optics, shares their interest in AMO physics and recommends two textbooks: "Quantum Optics" by M. O. Scully and M. S. Zubairy and "Quantum Optics" by J. Garrison and R. Chiao.
- Several participants mention additional textbooks, including "Elements of Quantum Optics" by Meystre & Sargent, "Fundamentals of Quantum Optics and Quantum Information" by Lambropoulos & Petrosyan, and "Quantum Optics" by Walls & Milburn.
- One participant expresses excitement about the Garrison and Chiao book, noting its depth in discussing second quantization of the electric field.
- Another participant adds a recommendation for a book by Greenberg, Aspect, and Fabre.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants share various textbook recommendations, but there is no consensus on a definitive list of "modern" texts, and opinions on what constitutes modernity in the field vary.
Contextual Notes
Some participants indicate that staying current in quantum optics may require reading research papers rather than relying solely on textbooks.