Robust Spin Squeezing Preservation in Photonic Crystal Cavities

We show that the robust spin squeezing preservation can be achieved by utilizing detuning modification for an ensemble of N separate two-level atoms embedded in photonic crystal cavities (PCC). In particular, we explore the different dynamical behaviors of spin squeezing between isotropic and anisotropic PCC cases when the atomic frequency is inside the band gap. In both cases, it is shown that the robust preservation of spin squeezing is completely determined by the formation of bound states. Intriguingly, we find that unlike the isotropic case where steady-state spin squeezing varies smoothly when the atomic frequency moves from the inside to the outside band edge, a sudden transition occurs for the anisotropic case. The present results may be of direct importance for, e.g., quantum metrology in open quantum systems.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, accepted by Laser Physics Letter

Quasienergy description of the driven Jaynes-Cummings model

We analyze the driven resonantly coupled Jaynes-Cummings model in terms of a quasienergy approach by switching to a frame rotating with the external modulation frequency and by using the dressed atom picture. A quasienergy surface in phase space emerges whose level spacing is governed by a rescaled effective Planck constant. Moreover, the well-known multiphoton transitions can be reinterpreted as resonant tunneling transitions from the local maximum of the quasienergy surface. Most importantly, the driving defines a quasienergy well which is nonperturbative in nature. The quantum mechanical quasienergy state localized at its bottom is squeezed. In the Purcell limited regime, the potential well is metastable and the effective local temperature close to its minimum is uniquely determined by the squeezing factor. The activation occurs in this case via dressed spin flip transitions rather than via quantum activation as in other driven nonlinear quantum systems such as the quantum Duffing oscillator. The local maximum is in general stable. However, in presence of resonant coherent or dissipative tunneling transitions the system can escape from it and a stationary state arises as a statistical mixture of quasienergy states being localized in the two basins of attraction. This gives rise to a resonant or an antiresonant nonlinear response of the cavity at multiphoton transitions. The model finds direct application in recent experiments with a driven superconducting circuit QED setup.Comment: 13 pages, 8 fi

Quantum correlation of an optically controlled quantum system

A precise time-dependent control of a quantum system relies on an accurate account of the quantum interference among the system, the control and the environment. A diagrammatic technique has been recently developed to precisely calculate this quantum correlation for a fast multimode coherent photon control against slow relaxation, valid for both Markovian and non-Markovian systems. We review this formalism in comparison with the existing approximate theories and extend it to cases with controls by photon state other than the coherent state.Comment: 23 pages, 8 figure

Light-mediated strong coupling between a mechanical oscillator and atomic spins one meter apart

Engineering strong interactions between quantum systems is essential for many phenomena of quantum physics and technology. Typically, strong coupling relies on short-range forces or on placing the systems in high-quality electromagnetic resonators, restricting the range of the coupling to small distances. We use a free-space laser beam to strongly couple a collective atomic spin and a micromechanical membrane over a distance of one meter in a room-temperature environment. The coupling is highly tunable and allows the observation of normal-mode splitting, coherent energy exchange oscillations, two-mode thermal noise squeezing and dissipative coupling. Our approach to engineer coherent long-distance interactions with light makes it possible to couple very different systems in a modular way, opening up a range of opportunities for quantum control and coherent feedback networks.Comment: 24 pages, 9 figure

Spin-squeezing and Dicke state preparation by heterodyne measurement

We investigate the quantum non-demolition (QND) measurement of an atomic population based on a heterodyne detection and show that the induced back-action allows to prepare both spin-squeezed and Dicke states. We use a wavevector formalism to describe the stochastic process of the measurement and the associated atomic evolution. Analytical formulas of the atomic distribution momenta are derived in the weak coupling regime both for short and long time behavior, and they are in good agreement with those obtained by a Monte-Carlo simulation. The experimental implementation of the proposed heterodyne detection scheme is discussed. The role played in the squeezing process by the spontaneous emission is considered

Quantum acoustics with superconducting circuits

The past 20 years has seen rapid developments in circuit quantum electrodynamics, where superconducting qubits and resonators are used to control and study quantum light-matter interaction at a fundamental level. The development of this field is strongly influenced by quantum information science and the prospect of realizing quantum computation, but also opens up opportunities for combinations of different physical systems and research areas. Superconducting circuits in the microwave domain offer a versatile platform for interfacing with other quantum systems thanks to strong nonlinearities and zero-point fluctuations, as well as flexibility in design and fabrication. Hybrid quantum systems based on circuit quantum electrodynamics could enable novel functionalities by exploiting the strengths of the individual components.This thesis covers experiments coupling superconducting circuits to surface acoustic waves (SAWs), mechanical waves propagating along the surface of a solid. Strong coupling can be engineered using the piezoelectric properties of GaAs substrates, and our experiments exploit this to investigate phenomena in quantum field-matter interaction. A key property of surface acoustic waves is the slow propagation speed, typically five orders of magnitude slower than light in vacuum, and the associated short wavelength. This enables the giant atom regime where the artificial atom in the form of a superconducting circuit is large compared to the wavelength of interacting SAW radiation, a condition which is difficult to realize in other systems. Experiments described in this thesis use these properties to demonstrate electromagnetically induced transparency for a mechanical mode, as well as non-Markovian interactions between an artificial giant atom and the SAW field. When the SAW field is confined to a resonant cavity, the short wavelength allows multimode spectra suitable for interacting with a frequency comb. We use a multimode SAW resonator to characterize the ensemble of microscopic two-level system defects with a two-tone spectroscopy approach. Finally, we introduce a hybrid superconducting-SAW resonator with applications in quantum information processing in mind. Experiments with this device demonstrate entanglement of SAW modes, and show promising results on the way to engineer cluster states for quantum computation in continuous variables

Thermodynamics of quantum systems under dynamical control

In this review the debated rapport between thermodynamics and quantum mechanics is addressed in the framework of the theory of periodically-driven/controlled quantum-thermodynamic machines. The basic model studied here is that of a two-level system (TLS), whose energy is periodically modulated while the system is coupled to thermal baths. When the modulation interval is short compared to the bath memory time, the system-bath correlations are affected, thereby causing cooling or heating of the TLS, depending on the interval. In steady state, a periodically-modulated TLS coupled to two distinct baths constitutes the simplest quantum heat machine (QHM) that may operate as either an engine or a refrigerator, depending on the modulation rate. We find their efficiency and power-output bounds and the conditions for attaining these bounds. An extension of this model to multilevel systems shows that the QHM power output can be boosted by the multilevel degeneracy. These results are used to scrutinize basic thermodynamic principles: (i) Externally-driven/modulated QHMs may attain the Carnot efficiency bound, but when the driving is done by a quantum device ("piston"), the efficiency strongly depends on its initial quantum state. Such dependence has been unknown thus far. (ii) The refrigeration rate effected by QHMs does not vanish as the temperature approaches absolute zero for certain quantized baths, e.g., magnons, thous challenging Nernst's unattainability principle. (iii) System-bath correlations allow more work extraction under periodic control than that expected from the Szilard-Landauer principle, provided the period is in the non-Markovian domain. Thus, dynamically-controlled QHMs may benefit from hitherto unexploited thermodynamic resources