Exotic quantum holonomy in Hamiltonian systems

We consider evolution of quantum eigenstates in the presence of level crossing under slow cyclic change of environmental parameters. We find that exotic holonomies, indicated by exchange of the eigenstates after a single cyclic evolution, can arise from non-Abelian gauge potentials among non-degenerate levels. We illustrate our arguments with solvable two and three level models.     

A unified theory of quantum holonomies

A periodic change of slow environmental parameters of a quantum system induces quantum holonomy. The phase holonomy is a well-known example. Another is a more exotic kind that exhibits eigenvalue and eigenspace holonomies. We introduce a theoretical formulation that describes the phase and eigenspace holonomies on an equal footing. The key concept of the theory is a gauge connection for an ordered basis, which is conceptually distinct from Mead-Truhlar-Berry’s connection and its Wilczek-Zee extension. A gauge invariant treatment of eigenspace holonomy based on Fujikawa’s formalism is developed. Example of adiabatic quantum holonomy, including the exotic kind with spectral degeneracy, are shown.     

Quantum phase-space description of light polarization

We present a method to characterize the polarization state of a light field in the continuous-variable regime. Instead of using the abstract formalism of SU(2) quasidistributions, we model polarization as the superposition of two harmonic oscillators of the same angular frequency along two orthogonal axes, much in the classical way of dealing with this variable. By describing each oscillator by an s-parametrized quasidistribution, we derive in a consistent way the final function for the polarization. We compare with previous approaches and show how this formalism works in some relevant examples.     

Generation of Two-Atom Cluster State via Cavity QED

We propose a physical scheme for generating a two-atom cluster state through the simultaneous interaction of two two-level atoms with a single-mode cavity field prepared initially in an odd-coherent state under a large-detuned limit. The influence of the dissipation constant, the intensity of the field and the imperfect manipulation on the preparation scheme are investigated. It is shown that when the intensity of the cavity is large enough, the influence of the cavity decay is ettlciently suppressed. The possible error in the implementation of the cluster state is negligible when the time difference between two atoms crossing the cavity axis is small. It is suggested that the scheme can be realized by current technologies.     

Dynamics of a degenerate parametric oscillator in a squeezed reservoir

Dynamics of a cavity mode which, in addition to interacting to an outside field with squeezed fluctuations, is simultaneously submitted to linear and parametric amplification processes is discussed in the Markovian approximation. The master equation for a density matrix of the cavity field is solved analytically in the Heisenberg picture. Long time asymptotic properties of the cavity mode are studied in the whole range of the evolution parameters and the corresponding decoherence effects are reported. It is also shown that in an appropriate regime of the evolution parameters there exists a unique steady state such that all initial density matrices evolve towards it. This allows engineering cavity states with desired properties.     

Polarization distributions and degree of polarization for quantum Gaussian light fields

We examine polarization properties of electromagnetic field states with Gaussian complex-amplitude distributions, such as quadrature coherent and squeezed states, thermal chaotic states, and two-mode squeezed vacuum states. We compute their polarization distribution and we apply to them diverse measures of degree of polarization and polarization fluctuations. This allows us to investigate the main properties of the degrees of polarization introduced so far.     

Variance squeezing and information entropy squeezing via Bloch coherent states in two-level nonlinear spin models

The nonclassical squeezing effect emerging from a nonlinear coupling model (generalized Jaynes–Cummings model) of a two-level atom interacting resonantly with a bimodal cavity field via two-photon transitions is investigated in the rotating wave approximation. Various Bloch coherent initial states (rotated states) for the atomic system are assumed, i.e., (i) ground state, (ii) excited state, and (iii) linear superposition of both states. Initially, the atomic system and the field are in a disentangled state, where the field modes are in Glauber coherent states via Poisson distribution. The model is numerically tested against simulations of time evolution of the based Heisenberg uncertainty relation variance and Shannon information entropy squeezing factors. The quantum state purity is computed for the three possible initial states and used as a criterion to get information about the entanglement of the components of the system. Analytical expression of the total density operator matrix elements at t > 0 shows, in fact, the present nonlinear model to be strongly entangled, where each of the definite initial Bloch coherent states is reduced to statistical mixtures. Thus, the present model does not preserve the modulus of the Bloch vector.     

Deterministic generation of squeezing for a cavity field with a collection of driven atoms

We propose an efficient scheme for realizing squeezing for a cavity mode. In the scheme, a collection of ladder-type three-level atoms are trapped in a cavity and driven by two classical fields. Under certain conditions, the cavity field deterministically evolves to a squeezed state. The scheme can also be used for conditional generation of superpositions of different squeezed vacuum states.     

Loss of nonclassical properties of quantum states in linear phase-insensitive processes with arbitrary time-dependent parameters

Conditions of disappearance of different “nonclassical” properties (usual and high-order squeezing, sub-Poissonian statistics, negativity of s-parametrized quasidistributions) are derived for a quantum oscillator, whose evolution is governed by the standard master equation of quantum optics with arbitrary time-dependent coefficients.     

Proposal for generating a two-photon added coherent state via down-conversion with a single crystal

Zavatta et al. [A. Zavatta, S. Viciani, M. Bellini, Science 306 (2004) 660; A. Zavatta, S. Viciani, M. Bellini, Phys. Rev. A 72 (2006) 023820], using parametric down-conversion, have carried out experiments to conditionally generate a single-photon added coherent state. In this Letter, we propose an extension of their method in order to generate the two-photon added coherent state, and point the way toward generating m-photon added coherent states for m>2, all using only one down-conversion crystal.     

Entanglement and squeezing of multi-qubit systems using a two-axis countertwisting Hamiltonian with an external field

We study the squeezing and pairwise entanglement properties of multi-qubit spin systems, implemented by a two-axis countertwisting Hamiltonian, with and without an external field. We show that the addition of an external field, enforces stronger squeezing and entanglement, and also increases the time duration that these phenomena may be maintained.     

Effect of dissipation and reservoir temperature on squeezing exchange and emergence of entanglement between two coupled bosonic modes

We study the effect of a thermal reservoir on the squeezing transfer and entanglement between two identical harmonic oscillators, caused by a bilinear coupling of the RWA type. We analyze the evolution of the invariant squeezing coefficients of each mode for arbitrary initially factorized mixed states, as well as the separability coefficient based on Simon's criterion for Gaussian states. We show the importance of initial squeezing for the emergence of entanglement and the existence of critical temperatures above which no squeezing transfer or entanglement are possible.     

Impurity-assisted enhancement of entanglement in dissipative environments

We propose a scheme to enhance the entanglement of a dissipative system, and the enhancement is happened during certain intervals of the evolution time. Our method is obtained by introducing one impurity into a Heisenberg XY chain and then solving the Lindblad form of the master equation with different initial states. The dynamics of entanglement reveal that one can significantly enhance the entanglement. This result will be helpful for the generation and transportation of entanglement in real solid-state systems.     

A Cavity-QED Scheme for Generating Long-Lived Maximally Entangled States

We propose a potentially practical scheme to generate two-atom maximally entangled states by the large-detuning interaction between two three-level ∧-type atoms and coherent optical fields. Conditioned on the results of detecting cavity field, four pairs of atomic maximally entangled states with unity fidelity and high successful probability can be prepared. We also investigate the influence of the cavity dissipation on the generated entangledstates and discuss the experimental feasibility of our scheme.     

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.     

Number-phase entropic uncertainty relations and Wigner functions for solvable quantum systems with discrete spectra

In this Letter, the “number-phase entropic uncertainty relation” and the “number-phase Wigner function” of generalized coherent states associated to a few solvable quantum systems with non-degenerate spectra are studied. We also investigate time evolution of “number-phase entropic uncertainty” and “Wigner function” of the considered physical systems with the help of temporally stable Gazeau-Klauder coherent states.     

Unconventional geometric quantum phase gates with two SQUIDs in a cavity

We present a potential scheme to implement two-qubit quantum phase gates through an unconventional geometric phase shift with two four-level SQUIDs in a cavity. The SQUID qubits undergo no transitions during the gate operation, while the cavity mode is displaced along a circle in the phase space, acquiring a geometric phase depending conditionally upon the SQUIDs’ states. Under certain conditions, the SQUID qubits are disentangled with the cavity mode and the SQUIDs’ states remain in their ground states during the gate operation, thus the gate is insensitive to both the SQUIDs’ “spontaneous emission” and the cavity decay.     

On Wigner functions and a damped star product in dissipative phase-space quantum mechanics

Dito and Turrubiates recently introduced an interesting model of the dissipative quantum mechanics of a damped harmonic oscillator in phase space. Its key ingredient is a non-Hermitian deformation of the Moyal star product with the damping constant as deformation parameter. We compare the Dito-Turrubiates scheme with phase-space quantum mechanics (or deformation quantization) based on other star products, and extend it to incorporate Wigner functions. The deformed (or damped) star product is related to a complex Hamiltonian, and so necessitates a modified equation of motion involving complex conjugation. We find that with this change the Wigner function satisfies the classical equation of motion. This seems appropriate since non-dissipative systems with quadratic Hamiltonians share this property.     

Production of three-dimensional entanglement for two atoms with a single resonant interaction

A scheme is proposed for generating three-dimensional maximally entangled states for two atoms. In the scheme the atoms are trapped in a two-mode cavity. The scheme only requires a single resonant interaction of the atoms with the cavity modes. Therefore, the scheme is very simple and required interaction time is very short, which is important in view of decoherence.