Claudio Conti - Böcker

Driven by advances in data science and machine learning, photonics has evolved rapidly in recent years and has transformed into a highly interdisciplinary field, connecting fundamental research with cutting-edge applications. Inspired by recent Nobel Prizes in Physics in 2021 and 2024, Conti highlights the interplay between photonics and spin glasses, a key concept for understanding the link between photon propagation and complex systems. Beginning with a study of black-body radiation, the book then revisits laser theory using techniques from non-equilibrium statistical mechanics. Through a step-by-step exploration of important photonic experiments, it bridges foundational concepts and advances in optical computing, with a focus on developing efficient hardware for classical and quantum artificial intelligence. This reveals the profound ties between complexity, photonics, and the future of AI technologies. The book will be a valuable resource for advanced undergraduate and graduate students and more practised researchers.

Quantum mechanics and machine learning may seem theoretically disparate, but their link becomes clear through the density matrix operator which can be readily approximated by neural network models, permitting a formulation of quantum physics in which physical observables can be computed via neural networks.