arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J. I. Cirac.
We consider transmission of an (unknown) quantum state between two distant atoms via photons. Based on a quantum-optical realistic model, we define a noisy quantum channel which includes systematic errors as well as errors due to coupling to the environment. We present a protocol that allows one to accomplish ideal transmission by repeating the transfer operation as many times as needed.
An elementary derivation of best eavesdropping strategies for the 4 state BB84 quantum cryptography protocol is presented, for both incoherent and two--qubit coherent attacks. While coherent attacks do not help Eve to obtain more information, they are more powerful to reveal the whole message sent by Alice. Our results are based on symmetric eavesdropping strategies, which we show to be sufficient to analyze these kind of problems.
We propose a scheme to utilize photons for ideal quantum transmission between atoms located at spatially-separated nodes of a quantum network. The transmission protocol employs special laser pulses which excite an atom inside an optical cavity at the sending node so that its state is mapped into a time-symmetric photon wavepacket that will enter a cavity at the receiving node and be absorbed by an atom there with unit probability. Implementation of our scheme would enable reliable transfer or sharing of entanglement among spatially distant atoms.
We show how to fully characterize a quantum process in an open quantum system. We particularize the procedure to the case of a universal two-qubit gate in a quantum computer. We illustrate the method with a numerical simulation of a quantum gate in the ion trap quantum computer.
A method to determine the state of a single quantized cavity mode is proposed. By adiabatic passage, the quantum state of the field is transfered completely onto an internal Zeeman sub-manifold of an atom. Utilizing a method of Newton and Young, we can determine this angular momentum state uniquely, by a finite number of magnetic dipole measurements with Stern-Gerlach analyzers. An example illustrates the influence of dissipation.
We describe a method to perform a single quantum measurement of an arbitrary observable of a single ion moving in a harmonic potential. We illustrate the measurement procedure with explicit examples, namely the position and phase observables.
We investigate the prospects of atomic interference using samples of Bose condensed atoms. First we show the ability of two independent Bose condensates to create an interference pattern, even if both condensates are described by Fock states. Thus, the existence of an experimental signature for a broken gauge symmetry, seen in a single run of the experiment, is not necessarily reflected by a broken symmetry on the level of the quantum mechanical state vector. Based on these results, we simulate numerically a recent experiment with two independent Bose condensates, performed by the group of W.Ketterle (MIT). The calculated expansion of the condensates is in good agreement with the experimental data. In addition the existence of interference fringes is predicted based on the nonlinear Schroedinger equation. Finally we study theoretically the influence of finite temperatures on the visibility of the interference in a double pinhole experiment.
We use continuous measurement theory to describe the evolution of two Bose condensates in an interference experiment. It is shown how the system evolves in a single run of the experiment into a state with a fixed relative phase, while the total gauge symmetry remains unbroken. Thus, an interference pattern is exhibited without violating atom number conservation.
We show how to design different couplings between a single ion trapped in a harmonic potential and an environment. This will provide the basis for the experimental study of the process of decoherence in a quantum system. The coupling is due to the absorption of a laser photon and subsequent spontaneous emission. The variation of the laser frequencies and intensities allows one to ``engineer'' the coupling and select the master equation describing the motion of the ion.
A method for the experimental reconstruction of the quantum state of motion for a single trapped ion is proposed. It is based on the measurement of the ground state population of the trap after a sudden change of the trapping potential. In particular, we show how the Q function and the quadrature distribution can be measured directly. In an example we demonstrate the principle and analyze the sensibility of the reconstruction process to experimental uncertainties as well as to finite grid limitations. Our method is not restricted to the Lamb-Dicke Limit and works in one or more dimensions.
The interaction of a trapped ion with a laser beam in the strong excitation regime is analyzed. In this regime, a variety of non--classical states of motion can be prepared either by using laser pulses of well defined area, or by an adiabatic passage scheme based on the variation of the laser frequency. We show how these states can be used to investigate fundamental properties of quantum mechanics. We also study possible applications of this system to build an ion interferometer.