Single-ion quantum Otto engine with always-on bath interaction

We demonstrate how a quantum Otto engine (QOE) can be implemented using a single ion and an always-on thermal environment. The internal degree of freedom of the ion is chosen as the working fluid, while the motional degree of freedom can be used as the cold bath. We show, that by adiabatically changing the local magnetic field, the work efficiency can be asymptotically made unity. We propose a projective measurement of the internal state of the ion that mimics the release of heat into the cold bath during the engine cycle. In our proposal, the coupling to the hot and the cold baths need not be switched off and on in an alternative fashion during the engine cycle, unlike other existing proposals of QOE. This renders the proposal experimentally feasible using the available tapped-ion engineering technology.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Nonclassicality and decoherence of photon-subtracted squeezed states

We discuss nonclassical properties of single-photon subtracted squeezed vacuum states in terms of the sub-Poissonian statistics and the negativity of the Wigner function. We derive a compact expression for the Wigner function from which we find the region of phase space where Wigner function is negative. We find an upper bound on the squeezing parameter for the state to exhibit sub-Poissonian statistics. We then study the effect of decoherence on the single-photon subtracted squeezed states. We present results for two different models of decoherence, viz. amplitude decay model and the phase diffusion model. In each case we give analytical results for the time evolution of the state. We discuss the loss of nonclassicality as a result of decoherence. We show through the study of their phase-space properties how these states decay to vacuum due to the decay of photons. We show that phase damping leads to very slow decoherence than the photon-number decay.Comment: Figures are in GIF format separately, submitte

Preparation of W, GHZ, and two-qutrit states using bimodal cavities

We show how one can prepare three-qubit entangled states like W states, Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger states as well as two-qutrit entangled states using the multiatom two-mode entanglement. We propose a technique of preparing such a multi-particle entanglement using stimulated Raman adiabatic passage. We consider a collection of three-level atoms in $\Lambda$ configuration simultaneously interacting with a resonant two-mode cavity for this purpose. Our approach permits a variety of multiparticle extensions.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures. J. Mod. Opt. (in press

Transfer of an unknown quantum state, quantum networks, and memory

We present a protocol for transfer of an unknown quantum state. The protocol is based on a two-mode cavity interacting dispersively in a sequential manner with three-level atoms in $\Lambda$ configuration. We propose a scheme for quantum networking using an atomic channel. We investigate the effect of cavity decoherence in the entire process. Further, we demonstrate the possibility of an efficient quantum memory for arbitrary superposition of two modes of a cavity contaning one photon.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, RevTeX4, Submitted to PR