We present an entanglement criterion for two mode squeezed states which relies on particle counting only. The proposed inequality is optimal for the state under consideration and robust against particle losses up to 2/3. As it does not involve measurements of quadratures - which is typically very challenging for atomic modes - it renders the detection of atomic many-particle entanglement feasible in many different settings. Moreover it bridges the gap between entanglement verification for a qubit and criteria for continuous variables measured by homodyne detection. We illustrate its application in the context of superradiant light scattering from Bose Einstein condensates by considering the creation of entanglement between atoms and light as well as between two condensates in different momentum states. The latter scheme takes advantage of leaving the Gaussian realm and features probabilistic entanglement distillation.
We present an entanglement criterion for two mode squeezed states which relies on particle counting only. The proposed inequality is optimal for the state under consideration and robust against particle losses up to 2/3. As it does not involve measurements of quadratures - which is typically very challenging for atomic modes - it renders the detection of atomic many-particle entanglement feasible in many different settings. Moreover it bridges the gap between entanglement verification for a qubit and criteria for continuous variables measured by homodyne detection. We illustrate its application in the context of superradiant light scattering from Bose Einstein condensates by considering the creation of entanglement between atoms and light as well as between two condensates in different momentum states. The latter scheme takes advantage of leaving the Gaussian realm and features probabilistic entanglement distillation.
Homodyne measurement is a crucial tool widely used to address continuous variables for bosonic quantum systems. While an ideal homodyne detection provides a powerful analysis, e.g., to effectively measure quadrature amplitudes of light in quantum optics, it relies on the use of a strong reference field, the so-called local oscillator, typically in a coherent state. Such a strong coherent local oscillator may not be readily available, particularly for a massive quantum system like a Bose-Einstein condensate, posing a substantial challenge in dealing with continuous variables appropriately. It is necessary to establish a practical framework that includes the effects of nonideal local oscillators for a rigorous assessment of various quantum tests and applications. We here develop entanglement criteria beyond a Gaussian regime applicable for this realistic homodyne measurement that do not require assumptions on the state of local oscillators. We discuss the working conditions of homodyne detection to effectively detect non-Gaussian quantum entanglement under various states of local oscillators.
Detection of entanglement in quantum states is one of the most important problems in quantum information processing. However, it is one of the most challenging tasks to find a universal scheme which is also desired to be optimal to detect entanglement for all states of a specific class--as always preferred by experimentalists. Although, the topic is well studied at least in case of lower dimensional compound systems, e.g., two-qubit systems, but in the case of continuous variable systems, this remains as an open problem. Even in the case of two-mode Gaussian states, the problem is not fully solved. In our work, we have tried to address this issue. At first, a limited number of Hermitian operators is given to test the necessary and sufficient criterion on the covariance matrix of separable two-mode Gaussian states. Thereafter, we present an interferometric scheme to test the same separability criterion in which the measurements are being done via Stokes-like operators. In such case, we consider only single-copy measurements on a two-mode Gaussian state at a time and the scheme amounts to the full state tomography. We further analyze the robustness of the proposed detection method against experimentally relevant imperfections and demonstrate that the separability test remains reliable under moderate levels of detection inefficiency. Although this latter approach is a linear optics-based one, nevertheless it is not an economic scheme. Resource-wise a more economical scheme than the full state tomography is obtained if we consider measurements on two copies of the state at a time. However, optimality of the scheme is not yet known.
A sufficient condition for entanglement in two-mode continuous systems is constructed with the interference visibility and the uncertainty of the total particle number. The observables to be measured (particle numbers and particle number variances) are relatively easily accessible experimentally. The method may be used to detect entanglement in light fields or in Bose-Einstein condensates. In contrast to the standard approach based on entanglement witnesses, the condition is expressed in terms of an inequality which is nonlinear in expectation values. The condition is constructed using uncertainty relations with the particle number and the destruction operators.
Spin changing collisions in alkaline Bose-Einstein condensates can be employed to generate highly entangled atomic quantum states. Here, we will report on the generation of two classes of entangled states. Firstly, we demonstrate the generation of two-mode squeezed vacuum states and record their characteristic quadrature correlations by atomic homodyning. We prove that the correlations fulfill Reid’s criterion [1] for continuous-variable Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen entanglement. The homodyne measurements allow for a full tomographic reconstruction, yielding a two-mode squeezed state with a 78% fidelity. The created state can be directly applied to atom interferometry, as is exemplified by an atomic clock measurement beyond the Standard Quantum Limit. Secondly, we demonstrate entanglement between two spatially separated atomic modes. The entangled state is obtained by spatially splitting a Twin Fock state of indistinguishable atoms along a line of zero density. This structure of two separated atomic modes is obtained by utilizing an excited trap mode. The non-classical correlations between these atomic modes are verified by applying a novel entanglement criterion especially sensitive for our case. The method opens a path to exploit the recent success in the creation of many-particle entanglement in ultracold atoms for the field of quantum information, where individually addressable subsystems are required. Finally, we will show how the measurement protocol can be extended to perform a Bell test of quantum nonlocality. [1] M. Reid, Phys. Rev. A 40, 913-923 (1989)
The concept of entangled quantum states is considered in the context of systems of identical particles, based on the requirement that in order to represent physical states both for the overall system and the sub-systems which may be entangled, the density operators must satisfy the symmetrisation principle and global and local super-selection rules that prohibit states in which there are coherences between differing particle numbers. These requirements and their justification are fully discussed. In the second quantisation approach used, both the system and the sub-systems are modes (or sets of modes) rather than particles, particles being associated with different occupancies of the modes. The definition of entangled states is based on first defining the non-entangled states - after specifying which modes constitute the sub-systems. This paper mainly focuses on two mode entanglement for massive bosons. Several inequalities involving variances and mean values of operators involving mode annihilation, creation operators have been proposed as tests for two mode entangled states, including the inequalities that define spin squeezing. Spin squeezing criteria in two mode systems are examined, and spin squeezing is best considered for principle spin operator components where the covariance matrix is diagonal. It is shown that the presence of spin squeezing in at least one of the spin components requires entanglement of the relevant pair of modes. Several of the other proposed tests for entanglement, including ones based on the sum of the variances for two spin components are considered. All of the tests are still valid when the present concept of entanglement based on the symmetrisation and super-selection rule criteria is applied, but further tests have been obtained here. Sometimes the new tests are satisfied whilst than those obtained in other papers are not.
Entanglement generation between atomic ensembles is typically modeled using the framework of continuous variables (CV) which approximates discrete spin operators as canonical position and momentum operators. Although hugely successful with many applications, this approximation is valid only for small deviations in spin. Here we investigate entanglement generation between two atomic ensemble qubits using a measurement based scheme of a common light mode. Various methods of entanglement detection of the entangled state is discussed. We propose a entanglement witness for this state and discuss its further applications to optical states.