Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC), with their coherence properties, have attracted wide interest for their possible application to ultraprecise interferometry and ultraweak force sensors. Since condensates, unlike photons, are interacting, they may permit the realization of specific quantum states needed as input of an interferometer to approach the Heisenberg limit, the supposed lower bound to precision phase measurements. To this end, we study the sensitivity to external weak perturbations of a representative matter-wave Mach-Zehnder interferometer whose input are two Bose-Einstein condensates created by splitting a single condensate in two parts. The interferometric phase sensitivity depends on the specific quantum state created with the two condensates, and, therefore, on the time scale of the splitting process. We identify three different regimes, characterized by a phase sensitivity $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\theta}$ scaling with the total number of condensate particles $N$ as (i) the standard quantum limit $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\theta}\ensuremath{\sim}1∕{N}^{1∕2}$, (ii) the sub shot-noise $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\theta}\ensuremath{\sim}1∕{N}^{3∕4}$, and the (iii) the Heisenberg limit $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\theta}\ensuremath{\sim}1∕N$. However, in a realistic dynamical BEC splitting, the $1∕N$ limit requires a long adiabaticity time scale, which is hardly reachable experimentally. On the other hand, the sub-shot-noise sensitivity $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\theta}\ensuremath{\sim}1∕{N}^{3∕4}$ can be reached in a realistic experimental setting. We also show that the $1∕{N}^{3∕4}$ scaling is a rigorous upper bound in the limit $N\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$, while keeping constant all different parameters of the bosonic Mach-Zehnder interferometer.Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC), with their coherence properties, have attracted wide interest for their possible application to ultraprecise interferometry and ultraweak force sensors. Since condensates, unlike photons, are interacting, they may permit the realization of specific quantum states needed as input of an interferometer to approach the Heisenberg limit, the supposed lower bound to precision phase measurements. To this end, we study the sensitivity to external weak perturbations of a representative matter-wave Mach-Zehnder interferometer whose input are two Bose-Einstein condensates created by splitting a single condensate in two parts. The interferometric phase sensitivity depends on the specific quantum state created with the two condensates, and, therefore, on the time scale of the splitting process. We identify three different regimes, characterized by a phase sensitivity $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\theta}$ scaling with the total number of condensate particles $N$ as (i) the standard quantum limit $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\theta}\ensuremath{\sim}1∕{N}^{1∕2}$, (ii) the sub shot-noise $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\theta}\ensuremath{\sim}1∕{N}^{3∕4}$, and the (iii) the Heisenberg limit $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\theta}\ensuremath{\sim}1∕N$. However, in a realistic dynamical BEC splitting, the $1∕N$ limit requires a long adiabaticity time scale, which is hardly reachable experimentally. On the other hand, the sub-shot-noise sensitivity $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\theta}\ensuremath{\sim}1∕{N}^{3∕4}$ can be reached in a realistic experimental setting. We also show that the $1∕{N}^{3∕4}$ scaling is a rigorous upper bound in the limit $N\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$, while keeping constant all different parameters of the bosonic Mach-Zehnder interferometer.

arXiv:cond-mat/0508680Physical Review AOct 26, 200568 citations

Quantum-discord amplification induced by a quantum phase transition via a cavity–Bose-Einstein-condensate system

Ji-Bing Yuan, Le‐Man Kuang

We propose a theoretical scheme to realize a sensitive amplification of quantum discord (QD) between two atomic qubits via a cavity--Bose-Einstein-condensate (BEC) system which was used to realize the Dicke quantum phase transition (QPT) for the first time [K. Baumann, C. Guerlin, F. Brennecke, and T. Esslinger, Nature (London) 464, 1301 (2010)]. It is shown that influence of the cavity-BEC system upon the two qubits is equivalent to a phase decoherence environment. It is found that QPT in the cavity-BEC system is the physical mechanism of the sensitive QD amplification.We propose a theoretical scheme to realize a sensitive amplification of quantum discord (QD) between two atomic qubits via a cavity--Bose-Einstein-condensate (BEC) system which was used to realize the Dicke quantum phase transition (QPT) for the first time [K. Baumann, C. Guerlin, F. Brennecke, and T. Esslinger, Nature (London) 464, 1301 (2010)]. It is shown that influence of the cavity-BEC system upon the two qubits is equivalent to a phase decoherence environment. It is found that QPT in the cavity-BEC system is the physical mechanism of the sensitive QD amplification.

arXiv:1208.2776Physical Review AFeb 19, 201323 citations

The Question of Phase in a Bose-Einstein Condensate

Stig Stenholm

Condensation and Coherence in Condensed MatterMar 1, 20030 citations

Phase-sensitive detection for unconventional Bose-Einstein condensation

Zi Cai, L.-M. Duan, Congjun Wu

We propose a phase-sensitive detection scheme to identify the unconventional ${p}_{x}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}i{p}_{y}$ symmetry of the condensate wave functions of bosons, which have already been proposed and realized in high bands in optical lattices. Using the impulsive Raman operation combined with time-of-flight imaging, the off-diagonal correlation functions in momentum space give rise to the relative phase information between different components of condensate wave functions. This scheme is robust against the interaction and interband effects, and provides evidence of unconventional Bose-Einstein condensations with nontrivial condensation symmetries.We propose a phase-sensitive detection scheme to identify the unconventional ${p}_{x}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}i{p}_{y}$ symmetry of the condensate wave functions of bosons, which have already been proposed and realized in high bands in optical lattices. Using the impulsive Raman operation combined with time-of-flight imaging, the off-diagonal correlation functions in momentum space give rise to the relative phase information between different components of condensate wave functions. This scheme is robust against the interaction and interband effects, and provides evidence of unconventional Bose-Einstein condensations with nontrivial condensation symmetries.

arXiv:1110.3021Physical Review ANov 2, 201211 citations

N

as (i) the standard quantum limit $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\theta}\ensuremath{\sim}1∕{N}^{1∕2}$, (ii) the sub shot-noise $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\theta}\ensuremath{\sim}1∕{N}^{3∕4}$, and the (iii) the Heisenberg limit $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\theta}\ensuremath{\sim}1∕N$. However, in a realistic dynamical BEC splitting, the

1∕N

limit requires a long adiabaticity time scale, which is hardly reachable experimentally. On the other hand, the sub-shot-noise sensitivity $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\theta}\ensuremath{\sim}1∕{N}^{3∕4}$ can be reached in a realistic experimental setting. We also show that the

1∕{N}^{3∕4}

scaling is a rigorous upper bound in the limit $N\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$, while keeping constant all different parameters of the bosonic Mach-Zehnder interferometer.