439 research outputs found
Trapped-Atom-Interferometer in a Magnetic Microtrap
We propose a configuration of a magnetic microtrap which can be used as an
interferometer for three-dimensionally trapped atoms. The interferometer is
realized via a dynamic splitting potential that transforms from a single well
into two separate wells and back. The ports of the interferometer are
neighboring vibrational states in the single well potential. We present a
one-dimensional model of this interferometer and compute the probability of
unwanted vibrational excitations for a realistic magnetic potential. We
optimize the speed of the splitting process in order suppress these excitations
and conclude that such interferometer device should be feasible with currently
available microtrap technique.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, submitted to PR
Wave function recombination instability in cold atom interferometers
Cold atom interferometers use guiding potentials that split the wave function
of the Bose-Einstein condensate and then recombine it. We present theoretical
analysis of the wave function recombination instability that is due to the weak
nonlinearity of the condensate. It is most pronounced when the accumulated
phase difference between the arms of the interferometer is close to an odd
multiple of PI and consists in exponential amplification of the weak ground
state mode by the strong first excited mode. The instability exists for both
trapped-atom and beam interferometers.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
Process tomography of ion trap quantum gates
A crucial building block for quantum information processing with trapped ions
is a controlled-NOT quantum gate. In this paper, two different sequences of
laser pulses implementing such a gate operation are analyzed using quantum
process tomography. Fidelities of up to 92.6(6)% are achieved for single gate
operations and up to 83.4(8)% for two concatenated gate operations. By process
tomography we assess the performance of the gates for different experimental
realizations and demonstrate the advantage of amplitude--shaped laser pulses
over simple square pulses. We also investigate whether the performance of
concatenated gates can be inferred from the analysis of the single gates
Deterministic reordering of 40Ca+ ions in a linear segmented Paul trap
In the endeavour to scale up the number of qubits in an ion-based quantum
computer several groups have started to develop miniaturized ion traps for
extended spatial control and manipulation of the ions. Shuttling and separation
of ion strings have been the foremost issues in linear-trap arrangements and
some prototypes of junctions have been demonstrated for the extension of ion
motion to two dimensions (2D). While junctions require complex trap structures,
small extensions to the 1D motion can be accomplished in simple linear trap
arrangements. Here, control of the extended field in a planar, linear chip trap
is used to shuttle ions in 2D. With this approach, the order of ions in a
string is deterministically reversed. Optimized potentials are theoretically
derived and simulations show that the reordering can be carried out
adiabatically. The control over individual ion positions in a linear trap
presents a new tool for ion-trap quantum computing. The method is also expected
to work with mixed crystals of different ion species and as such could have
applications for sympathetic cooling of an ion string.Comment: 18 pages, 9 figures. Added section on possibility of adiabatic turn.
Added appendix on point charge model. Other minor alterations/clarifications.
Version now published (http://www.iop.org/EJ/abstract/1367-2630/11/10/103008
Breakdown of superfluidity of an atom laser past an obstacle
The 1D flow of a continuous beam of Bose-Einstein condensed atoms in the
presence of an obstacle is studied as a function of the beam velocity and of
the type of perturbing potential (representing the interaction of the obstacle
with the atoms of the beam). We identify the relevant regimes:
stationary/time-dependent and superfluid/dissipative; the absence of drag is
used as a criterion for superfluidity. There exists a critical velocity below
which the flow is superfluid. For attractive obstacles, we show that this
critical velocity can reach the value predicted by Landau's approach. For
penetrable obstacles, it is shown that superfluidity is recovered at large beam
velocity. Finally, enormous differences in drag occur when switching from
repulsive to attractive potential.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figure
Coherence length of an elongated condensate: a study by matter-wave interferometry
We measure the spatial correlation function of Bose-Einstein condensates in
the cross-over region between phase-coherent and strongly phase-fluctuating
condensates. We observe the continuous path from a gaussian-like shape to an
exponential-like shape characteristic of one-dimensional phase-fluctuations.
The width of the spatial correlation function as a function of the temperature
shows that the condensate coherence length undergoes no sharp transition
between these two regimes.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure, submitted to EPJ
Analysis of an atom laser based on the spatial control of the scattering length
In this paper we analyze atom lasers based on the spatial modulation of the
scattering length of a Bose-Einstein Condensate. We demonstrate, through
numerical simulations and approximate analytical methods, the controllable
emission of matter-wave bursts and study the dependence of the process on the
spatial dependence of the scattering length along the axis of emission. We also
study the role of an additional modulation of the scattering length in time.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev.
Cold atom gas at very high densities in an optical surface microtrap
An optical microtrap is realized on a dielectric surface by crossing a
tightly focused laser beam with an horizontal evanescent-wave atom mirror. The
nondissipative trap is loaded with cesium atoms through elastic
collisions from a cold reservoir provided by a large-volume optical surface
trap. With an observed 300-fold local increase of the atomic number density
approaching , unprecedented conditions of cold atoms
close to a surface are realized
Propagation of Bose-Einstein condensates in a magnetic waveguide
Gaseous Bose-Einstein condensates of 2-3 million atoms were loaded into a
microfabricated magnetic trap using optical tweezers. Subsequently, the
condensates were released into a magnetic waveguide and propagated 12 mm.
Single-mode propagation was observed along homogeneous segments of the
waveguide. Inhomogeneities in the guiding potential arose from geometric
deformations of the microfabricated wires and caused strong transverse
excitations. Such deformations may restrict the waveguide physics that can be
explored with propagating condensates.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Robust entanglement
It is common belief among physicists that entangled states of quantum systems
loose their coherence rather quickly. The reason is that any interaction with
the environment which distinguishes between the entangled sub-systems collapses
the quantum state. Here we investigate entangled states of two trapped Ca
ions and observe robust entanglement lasting for more than 20 seconds
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