Measurement of the decoherence of a mesoscopic superposition of motional states of a trapped ion

We propose a scheme to observe the decoherence of a mesoscopic superposition of two coherent states in the motion of a trapped ion. In the scheme the ion is excited by two perpendicular lasers tuned to the ion transition. The decoherence is revealed by the decrease of the correlation between two successive measurements of the internal state of the ion after relevant laser－ion interaction.     

Generation of pure states in a nondegenerate two-photon micromaser

The generation of two-mode pure states in a lossless nondegenerate two-photon micromaser has been analyzed. The results show that under appropriate conditions, the field may evolve to pure states which can exhibit two-mode squeezing, or evolve to two-mode number states.     

Generation of mesoscopic entangled states in a cavity coupled to an atomic ensemble

We propose a novel scheme for the efficient production of entangled states for N photons of the form |N>(a)|0>(b) + |0>(a)|N>(b) (NOON states) based on the resonant interaction of a pair of quantized cavity modes with an ensemble of atoms. We show that, in the strong-coupling regime, the adiabatic evolution of the system tends to a limiting state that describes mesoscopic entanglement between photons and atoms which can easily be converted to a purely photonic or atomic NOON state. We also demonstrate the remarkable property that the efficiency of this scheme increases exponentially with the cavity cooperativity factor, which gives efficient access to high number NOON states. The experimental feasibility of the scheme is discussed, and its efficiency is demonstrated numerically.     

How to measure the decoherence of a micromaser field under well controlled conditions

We discuss a possible realization of a quantum register with controllable decoherence in terms of /0> and /1> photon number states of a micromaser field. It is shown how to create in the Jaynes-Cummings model a superposition state of /0> and /1> photon number states inside a closed micromaser cavity. The loss of phase coherence between these two states can subsequently be measured by a second probe atom monitoring the decoherence of the field. A technique is proposed for forming the superposition of number states /0> and /1> using the time structure of the Rabi oscillation. The proposed method avoids problems with stray fields at the cavity holes, which disturb the coherence of the atomic superposition, and offers a way to study how the coupling strength to the environment influences the decoherence rate, displaying the robustness of physical qubits and the fidelity of quantum computations.     

Generation of a superposition of odd photon number states for quantum information networks

We report on the experimental observation of quantum-network-compatible light described by a nonpositive Wigner function. The state is generated by photon subtraction from a squeezed vacuum state produced by a continuous wave optical parametric amplifier. Ideally, the state is a coherent superposition of odd photon number states, closely resembling a superposition of weak coherent states |alpha > - |-alpha >. In the limit of low squeezing the state is basically a single photon state. Light is generated with about 10,000 and more events per second in a nearly perfect spatial mode with a Fourier-limited frequency bandwidth which matches well atomic quantum memory requirements. The generated state of light is an excellent input state for testing quantum memories, quantum repeaters, and linear optics quantum computers.     

Generation of strongly squeezed states for a cavity field with a single atom

We propose a scheme to realize strong squeezing for a cavity field with a single three-level atom. In the scheme the atom is sent through the cavity initially filled with a coherent field. The atom dispersively interacts with the cavity field, which is displaced by a microwave resource during the interaction. Then, a selective measurement on the atom collapses the field to a superposition of an even coherent state with a vacuum state, which exhibits strong squeezing. The scheme can also be generalized to the two-mode case.     

Generation of a coherent state of the micromaser field

It is found that a coherent state of the cavity field can be generated in a micromaser with injected atoms in a coherent superposition of the upper and lower states. The dependence of the density matrix elements of the field on the number of injected atoms indicates that due to the same initial atomic coherence the emission of separately injected single atoms in the cavity is a cooperative process.Dedicated to Prof. Asim Barut on the occasion of his 65th birthday. Physicist, philosopher, friend of man, here indeed is a role model for us all.     

Freezing by heating in a driven mesoscopic system

We investigate a simple model corresponding to particles driven in opposite directions and interacting via a repulsive potential. The particles move off-lattice on a periodic strip and are subject to random forces as well. We show that this model-which can be considered as a continuum version of some driven diffusive systems-exhibits a paradoxical, new kind of transition called here "freezing by heating." One interesting feature of this transition is that a crystallized state with a higher total energy is obtained from a fluid state by increasing the amount of fluctuations.     

On the environmental decoherence and spin interference in mesoscopic loop structures

Mechanisms of ‘environmental decoherence’ such as surface scattering, Elliot–Yafet process and precession mechanisms, as well as their influence on the spin phase relaxation are considered and compared. It is shown that the ‘spin ballistic’ regime is possible, when the phase relaxation length for the spin part of the wave function (L^(s)) is much greater than the phase relaxation length for the ‘orbital part’ (L^(e)). In the presence of an additional magnetic field, the spin part of the electron's wave function (WF) acquires a phase shift due to additional spin precession about that field. If the structure length L is chosen to be L^(s)>L>L^(e), it is possible to ‘wash out’ the quantum interference related to the phase coherence of the ‘orbital part’ of the WF, retaining at the same time that related to the phase coherence of the spin part and, hence, to reveal corresponding conductance oscillations.     

Density of states in a mesoscopic SNS junction

The semiclassical theory of proximity effects predicts a gap E _g～?D/L ² in the excitation spectrum of a long diffusive superconductor/normal-metal/superconductor (SNS) junction. Mesoscopic fluctuations lead to anomalously localized states in the normal part of the junction.As a result, a nonzero, yet exponentially small, density of states (DOS) appears at energies below E _g. In the framework of the supermatrix nonlinear σ model, these prelocalized states are due to the instanton configurations with broken supersymmetry. The exact result for the DOS near the semiclassical threshold is found, provided the dimensionless conductance of the normal part G _N is large. The case of poorly transparent interfaces between the normal and superconductive regions is also considered. In this limit, the total number of subgap states may be large.     

Generation of superpositions of coherent states of a cavity field with a driven atom

We propose a cavity QED technique to generate superpositions of a series of coherent states on a circle through the interaction of the cavity field with only one atom driven by a classical field.     

Vortex states in mesoscopic superconductors

The results of theoretical investigations of the electronic structure and transport properties of vortex states in mesoscopic superconductors with sizes of several coherence lengths are reviewed. The features of the electronic spectra of multiquantum vortices and vortex molecules, as well as mechanisms of thermal transport along vortex lines, are considered by taking into account boundary effects.     

噪声环境中两粒子纠缠态的纠缠消相干

借助于共生纠缠度和输入输出保真度考察了初始处于纠缠态的两粒子在联合噪声环境中的消纠缠特性.结果表明:两粒子纠缠态可分为相干保持态和脆弱纠缠态.对于脆弱纠缠态分析了它们在低温条件欧姆型耗散下的纠缠消相干演化动力学. 关键词： 热库 相干保持态 脆弱纠缠态 输入输出保真度     

The initial decoherence of the mesoscopic Josephson junction flux qubit

For a mesoscopic radio frequency superconducting quantum interference device (rfSQUID), at a degeneracy point, the system reduces to a quantum two-state system which can be used as a flux qubit. When the noise environment is equivalent to a harmonic oscillators bath, by virtue of an operator-norm measure for the short time decoherence, this paper investigates the initial decoherence of the flux qubit operating in the ohmic noise environment and illustrates its property by means of the numerical evaluation.     

Three-component superposition states of light in a dissipative medium

The process of the simultaneous absorption of three photons in a medium possessing weak one-photon absorption is analyzed. The mode experiencing absorption is perturbed externally via a three-photon parametric process. It is shown that a steady-state, three-component superposition state of light can exist in this system in the range where the amplitude of the state is small (small perturbations of the system). The latter condition is due to the fact that, in this range of interactions, the field spends significantly more time in one of three types of superposition states of light that form an ensemble of quantum trajectories of the system than in the other two.     

Three-photon correlations in a strongly driven atom-cavity system

The quantum dynamics of a strongly driven, strongly coupled single-atom-cavity system is studied by evaluating time-dependent second- and third-order correlations of the emitted photons. The coherent energy exchange, first, between the atom and the cavity mode, and second, between the atom-cavity system and the driving laser, is observed. Three-photon detections show an asymmetry in time, a consequence of the breakdown of detailed balance. The results are in good agreement with theory and are a first step towards the control of a quantum trajectory at larger driving strength.     

Enveloping subspaces and superposition of states

In the space of pure states of a generic physical system, a family ? of subsets is singled out and used to extend the quantum-mechanical notion of “superposition” of pure states. ? possesses a natural lattice structure and corresponds to the lattice of closed subspaces of Quantum Mechanics.