"The foundations in quantum physics offered at ISAE-SUPAERO enable students who wish to do so to delve deeper into the discipline and pursue more advanced training".
Sébastien Massenot- Sébastien Massenot is a teacher-researcher in physics at ISAE-SUPAERO, in charge of the fundamental physics courses in the General Engineering curriculum.
- An introduction to quantum physics is included in this curriculum from the first year core curriculum, and elective modules allow students to delve deeper into this discipline.
- Students who wish to do so can continue with additional training to add a more or less strong quantum coloration to their engineering degree, a speciality sought after by many industrialists.
What role does quantum physics play in the teaching at ISAE-SUPAERO?
“An introductory course in quantum physics is offered as part of the core curriculum of the General Engineering course at ISAE-SUPAERO. This theory is also taught in statistical physics in the first year and in thermal physics in the second year. Several elective courses are also offered: in-depth modules (lasers / particle physics) and two modules directly linked to the second quantum revolution (quantum engineering / quantum computing).
These foundations give students a fairly global view of quantum physics and allow those who so wish to complete their training with a double degree: the Institut has a host agreement with the M2 in fundamental physics, quantum engineering and condensed matter at the Université Paul-Sabatier in the third year, as well as double degree agreements with ENS Paris-Saclay and ESPCI, for example.
The Institute is a forerunner in this field, since the elective quantum engineering module has been offered for two decades by our temporary employee and colleague Christian Joachim.
Why is it so important to train engineers in quantum physics?
“The current craze and the very rapid development of quantum technologies mean that, either in the short or long term, many engineers will be confronted with quantum physics during their careers. Having received prior training in this area will be a major advantage. For example, in the space sector, Thalès Alenia Space in Toulouse has a team of engineers dedicated to developing secure quantum satellite communications systems.
Another crucial aspect is on a more personal level: understanding thought in the “quantum world” is not intuitive compared with the macroscopic world we experience every day. It requires us to take a step back, which is also very instructive.
How do you approach quantum physics with 1ʳᵉ year students?
“In addition to the theoretical courses on offer, quantum physics is also broken down experimentally. A polarisation-intruded photon experiment, a simplified replica adapted for students of the experiment by Alain Aspect, who will be awarded the Nobel Prize in 2022, was developed in 2015 in close collaboration with colleagues at the Université Paul-Sabatier.
This experiment is offered as part of the experimental practice activities (20 hours that enable the various aspects of the experiment to be detailed) or as part of the elective quantum engineering module. It aims to illustrate the experimental preparation of a two-photon quantum state and its measurement, and to make a comparison with theoretical predictions.This gives students a much more hands-on approach to the subject.
“What is quantum physics?
Quantum physics was developed in the 20th century to account for many observations on a microscopic scale that could not be explained by the theories of classical mechanics or electromagnetism. It has also enabled many verifiable and verified predictions to be made about the properties of matter and radiation on all scales (from elementary particles to astrophysics).
The technological and industrial developments that emerged from this theory in the 20th century have led to considerable advances in fields such as microelectronics, computing, telecommunications, imaging and medicine, to name but a few. By way of illustration, more than a third of the US GDP comes from direct applications of this discipline!
For several decades, many laboratories and industrial players have been interested in developing new applications based on controlling the properties of a single or a few individual quantum particles. Quantum theory predicts that a single particle can be described by several states simultaneously (superposition) and that two particles that have interacted in the past will retain a ‘link’, regardless of the distance separating them (entanglement).
Although not intuitive in a classical framework, these properties have been verified experimentally and can be used to improve the sensitivity of many sensors (accelerometers, gravimeters, etc.), the security of communications, and to accelerate calculations using quantum computers.
The development of these new applications, which we are currently witnessing, is known as the “second quantum revolution”. To celebrate its 100th anniversary, the United Nations has declared 2025 the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology.
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