Quantum systems engineering

Abstract:

We present a detailed analysis of the dynamical response of ultracold bosonic atoms in a one-dimensional optical lattice subjected to a periodic modulation of the lattice depth. Following the experimental realization by Stöferle et al (2004 Phys. Rev. Lett. 92 130403), we study the excitation spectrum of the system as revealed by the response of the total energy as a function of the modulation frequency ω. By using the Time Evolving Block Decimation algorithm, we are able to simulate one-dimensional systems comparable in size to those in the experiment, with harmonic trapping and across many lattice depths ranging from the Mott-insulator (MI) to the superfluid (SF) regime. Our results produce many of the features seen in the experiment, namely a broad response in the SF regime, and narrow discrete resonances in the MI regime. We identify several signatures of the SF-MI transition that are manifested in the spectrum as it evolves from one limit to the other. © IOP Publishing Ltd and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft.

Abstract:

We consider the dephasing of two internal states |0〉 and |1〉 of a trapped impurity atom, a so-called atomic quantum dot (AQD), where only state 1〉 couples to a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). A direct relation between the dephasing of the internal states of the AQD and the temporal phase fluctuations of the BEC is established. Based on this relation we suggest a scheme to probe BEC phase fluctuations non-destructively via dephasing measurements of the AQD. In particular, the scheme allows to trace the dependence of the phase fluctuations on the trapping geometry of the BEC. © IOP Publishing Ltd and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft.

Abstract:

We show how to efficiently exploit decoherence free subspaces (DFSs), which are immune to collective noise, for realizing quantum repeaters with long-lived quantum memories. Our setup consists of an assembly of simple modules and we show how to implement them in systems of cold, neutral atoms in arrays of dipole traps. We develop methods for realizing robust gate operations on qubits encoded in a DFS using collisional interactions between the atoms. We also give a detailed analysis of the performance and stability of all required gate operations and emphasize that all modules can be realized with current or near future experimental technology. © 2006 The American Physical Society.