Program Summary of FQMT'08
FQMT'08 was held in Prague, Czech Republic from July 28 to August 2, 2008.
As in FQMT'04, the aim of FQMT'08 was to create a bridge between the fields of modern condensed matter physics, quantum optics, statistical physics and the quickly developing field of foundations of quantum physics.
In general, the conference addressed quantum physics and non-equilibrium quantum statistical physics. The systems considered were mainly of nanoscale size. The main task of the conference was to contribute to the uncovering of possible phenomenological ("quantum thermodynamical") laws governing the behavior of nanoscale systems, providing a better understanding and insight into the problems and interpretations of quantum physics based upon the methods of condensed matter physics, statistical physics and quantum optics.
The conference was attended by about 170 physicists from 32 countries. A total of 162 contributions were presented. Most of the six days of the conference was organized to have four single invited sessions, two during the morning and two during the afternoon to ensure that all participants could participate and discuss during the every invited lecture. The only exceptions were on Tuesday afternoon, when two parallel sessions were organized and Saturday, when the program consisted of only two morning sessions. The contributed papers were discussed within the late afternoon/evening poster session held in the Pyramida Hotel on Tuesday.
The organizers created a program which covered homogeneously all the following topics: Quantum, mesoscopic and classical thermodynamics, Foundations of quantum physics, Physics of quantum measurement, Quantum optics, Quantum dissipation, decoherence and noise, Physics of quantum computing and quantum information, Non-equilibrium quantum statistical physics, Macroscopic quantum behavior, Mesoscopic and nanomechanical systems, Spin systems and their dynamics, Brownian motion, molecular motors, ratchet systems, rectified motion, Physics of biological systems, and Relevant experiments from the nano- to the macro-scale. Some further contributions touched questions in gravitation.
While inviting speakers, the organizers tried to reach "equilibrium" between theoretically and experimentally orientated talks to motivate the discussion between experimentalists and theorists as much as possible. The following leading experts accepted the invitation of the Scientific Committee, delivered their lectures and discussed lively hot problems of statistical and condensed matter physics during the whole conference:
G. Adenier, A. Aharony, A. Altland, J. Ankerhold, A. Armour, G. Auletta, R. Balian, K. Balzer, J. Barker, D. Belitz, W. Belzig, Y. M. Blanter, M. Blencowe, R. Blick, D. Bouwmeester, T. Brandes, H. Brandt, H. Briegel, V. Brosco, C. Bruder, A. O. Caldeira, H. Carmichael, I. Carusotto, A. M. Cetto, R. Chiao, D. Cohen, P. Danielewicz, M. Davidson, L. de la Peña, H. De Raedt, J. Eisert, O. Entin-Wohlman, G. Falci, V. Falko, M. Fox, H. Frauenfelder, J. Freericks, I. Galperin, Y. Gefen, J. Gemmer, N. Gisin, H. Grabert, F. Haake, W. Hänsel, F. W. Hekking, A. Hermann, Y. Imry, G.-L. Ingold, A. Jordan, P. D. Keefe, A. Khrennikov, H. Kleinert, I. Knezevic, S. Kohler, N. Kroó, G. Kurizki, J. Laurat, I. Lerner, R. Lipowsky, J. Luczka, G. Mahler, J. J. Mareš, B. Mehmani, K. Michielsen, Th. M. Nieuwenhuizen, B. K. Nikolic, T. Novotný, R. Ooi, E. Paladino, J. P. Paz, F. Petruccione, G. Platero, A. Plotnitsky, M. Prada, T. Ralph, L. E. Reichl, S. M. Reimann, F. Ritort, G. Roati, B. Sanders, M. O. Scully, U. Seifert, G. Shlyapnikov, A. Schiller, P. Simon, F. Sols, E. Sukhorukov, V. Špička, P. Talkner, W. Tittel, D. Vion, D. Vitali, M. Vojta, T. Vojta, J. von Delft, A. Wacker, U. Weiss, G. Welch, A. Zaikin, M. S. Zubairy.
Of the special events connected to the conference, we notably mention: the reception in the garden of the Wallenstein Palace on Monday; the evening lectures by Marlan Scully and Raymond Chiao in Simon and Juda church followed by the concert of classical music on Wednesday; the evening lecture by Gora Shlyapnikov followed by the jazz concert in the Pyramida Hotel on Thursday; and the conference dinner on the last evening in the cellars of the Břevnov monastery during which participants could also listen to the organ concert in the beautiful baroque monastery’s church.
We experienced a conference at a very high scientific level, in a very warm atmosphere. It was broadly supported, on one hand, by Czech institutions and, on the other hand, by the participants, who graciously used their personal means for this aim. The event proved to be very valuable for the scientific climate in the Czech Republic, and the organizers express their gratitude for the support extended by leading Czech institutions, which certainly contributed to the high level and good atmosphere of the conference.