Franco Nori

Professor Franco Nori’s research is in theoretical condensed matter physics and quantum information processing. He has also done research in computational physics, transport phenomena (e.g., of vortices or electrons), energy conversion and solar energy, as well as the dynamics of complex systems. His research work is interdisciplinary and also explores the interface between atomic physics, quantum optics, nano-science, and computing. His research group is also studying artificial photosynthesis, light-to-electricity conversion, nano-mechanics, hybrid quantum electro-mechanical systems, quantum nano-electronics and quantum emulators. Particular emphasis is being placed on superconducting Josephson-junction qubits, scalable quantum circuitry and improved designs for their quantum control. An underlying theme of his work is to better understand nano-scale quantum systems and devise methods to control them.  His research group uses physical models to make predictions that can be tested experimentally and that can be used to better understand the observed phenomena.

Nori is a Fellow of the American Physical Society, the Optical Society of America, the UK’s Institute of Physics, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). In 2014, he received the Matsuo Foundation Award; and, in 2013, the Prize for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan.

Selected Publications

Hybrid Quantum Circuits: Superconducting Circuits Interacting with Other Quantum Systems, (Z.-L. Xiang, S. Ashhab, J.Q. You, F. Nori), Rev. Mod. Phys. 85, 623 (2013).

Quantum Biology, (N. Lambert, et al.), Nature Physics 9, 10-18 (2013).

Photon Trajectories, Anomalous Velocities and Weak Measurements: A Classical Interpretation,(K.Y. Bliokh, A.Y. Bekshaev, A.G. Kofman, F. Nori), New J. Phys. 15, 073022 (2013).

Relativistic Hall Effect, (K.Y. Bliokh, F. Nori),Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 120403 (2012).

Stimulating Uncertainty: Amplifying the Quantum Vacuum with Superconducting Circuits, (P.D. Nation, J.R. Johansson, M.P. Blencowe, F. Nori),Rev. Mod. Phys. 84, 1-24 (2012).

Atomic Physics and Quantum Optics using Superconducting Circuits, (J.Q. You, F. Nori),Nature 474, 589 (2011).

Observation of the Dynamical Casimir Effect in a Superconducting Circuit, (C.M. Wilson, et al.),Nature 479, 376 (2011). Physics World Top Five Breakthroughs of the Year 2011. Also, the top Readers' choice of 2011 on Nature News.

Artificial Photosynthetic Reaction Centers Coupled to Light-harvesting Antennas, (P.K. Ghosh, A.Yu. Smirnov, F. Nori), Phys. Rev. E 84, 061138 (2011).

Natural and Artificial Atoms for Quantum Computation, (I. Buluta, S. Ashhab, F. Nori),Reports on Progress in Physics 74, 104401 (2011).

Relativistic Electron Vortex Beams: Angular Momentum and Spin-orbit Interaction, (K.Y. Bliokh, M.R. Dennis, F. Nori), Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 174802 (2011).

Distinguishing Quantum and Classical Transport through Nanostructures, (N. Lambert, C. Emary, Y. N. Chen, F. Nori), Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 176801 (2011).

Terahertz Josephson Plasma Waves in Layered Superconductors: Spectrum, Generation, Nonlinear, and Quantum Phenomena, (S. Savel'ev, V. A. Yampol'skii, A. L. Rakhmanov, F. Nori), Rep. Prog. Phys. 73, 026501 (2010)

Landau-Zener-Stuckelberg Interferometry, (S.N. Shevchenko, S. Ashhab, F. Nori), Phys. Reports 492, 1 (2010).

Quantum Simulators, (I. Buluta, F. Nori), Science 326, 108 (2009).

The Dynamical Casimir Effect in a Superconducting Coplanar Waveguide, (J. R. Johansson, G. Johansson, C. M. Wilson, F. Nori),Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 147003 (2009).

Modelling Light-driven Proton Pumps in Artificial Photosynthetic Reaction Centers, (P. K. Ghosh, A. Y. Smirnov, F. Nori), J. Chem. Phys. 131, 035102 (2009).

Field(s) of Study

• Condensed Matter Theory
• Quantum Information Processing
• Interdisciplinary research at the interface between atomic physics, quantum optics, nano-science, and computing
• Solar Energy