Who
Dr. Sofia Evangelou
Technical University of Crete | National Centre of Scientific Research Demokritos
When
23 Jul 2026, 11:00 Athens time, Science Building 145Π58
Title
Quantum Physics with Emphasis on Photonic Quantum Computers and Quantum Simulators
Abstract
Controlling the interaction between quantum systems and their surroundings is a central challenge in quantum science and technology. Although coupling to the environment is usually associated with dissipation and decoherence, engineered photonic and electromagnetic environments can profoundly reshape quantum dynamics and provide new mechanisms for control, readout, sensing, and simulation.
This talk will present an overview of my research in theoretical and computational quantum physics, following its development from quantum optics and nanophotonics to structured reservoirs, quantum sensing and metrology, and quantum computation. I will discuss how plasmonic and graphene-based environments can modify spontaneous emission, induce quantum interference, and generate distinct bright and dark dynamical components. These microscopic effects can be translated into experimentally accessible optical signatures, including modified emission spectra, transparency windows, steep dispersion, nonlinear optical response, and phase-sensitive spectral readout.
I will then focus on structured photonic reservoirs as platforms for simulating open quantum-system dynamics. Spectral gaps, band edges, Dirac-like structures, and emitter–reservoir bound states provide controllable mechanisms for non-Markovian behaviour and the preservation
of phase information, quantified through the quantum Fisher information. The final part of the talk will address variational quantum algorithms, noise-aware gate-level simulations, Qiskit-based implementations, and calculations on real NISQ quantum hardware. I will conclude by outlining a research direction that connects photonic quantum systems, reservoir engineering, quantum sensing, and hardware-aware quantum computation.
About the Speaker
Dr. Sofia Evangelou is a Senior Postdoctoral Researcher at the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the Technical University of Crete and a Collaborating Researcher at the Institute of Quantum Computing and Quantum Technology of NCSR "Demokritos." She received her Ph.D. in Materials Science from the University of Patras, where her research focused on nonlinear optical processes in structured photonic environments.
Her research is in theoretical and computational quantum physics, with interests spanning quantum optics, quantum photonics, nanophotonics, open quantum systems, structured reservoirs, quantum sensing and metrology, and quantum computation. Her work has involved semiconductor quantum systems, plasmonic and graphene-based nanostructures, photonic reservoirs, and the control and protection of quantum information through engineered open-system dynamics. Within the Horizon Europe QCFD project, she works on variational quantum algorithms, Qiskit-based gate-level simulations, noise analysis, and implementations on real NISQ quantum hardware. She has also taught courses in Physics, Quantum Computing, Quantum Technologies, Electronics, and Telecommunications at several Greek universities.
