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P. Barberis-Blostein

Publications and source records attributed to P. Barberis-Blostein.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

Correlation Localization in Waveguide QED with Delayed Interactions

We study the atom-atom correlation length in an atomic array coupled to a waveguide under the Bragg condition with delayed non-Markovian interactions caused by a finite photon propagation time. Starting from a single excited atom, the excitation partially spreads among all atoms, reaching a steady state. The remaining excitation localizes near the initially excited atom, and the atom-atom correlation length decreases as a power law with the interaction delay. This localization phenomenon reveals how the delay-induced non-Markovian behavior affects the correlation transport in waveguide QED systems.

quant-ph

Collective coupling of driven multilevel atoms and its effect on four-wave mixing

Microscopic models based on multilevel atoms are central to optimizing non-linear optical responses and the coherent control of light. These models are traditionally based on single-atom effects that are parametrically extrapolated to include collective effects, such as an enhanced response or propagation within atomic media. In this work we present a systematic analysis of the cooperative effects arising in driven systems composed of multilevel atoms coupled via a common electromagnetic environment. The analysis is based on an interplay between dressed states induced by the driving field and photon exchanges, and collective decay channels. This theory is applied to the case of four-wave mixing induced by a pair of lasers acting on an atomic pair with internal levels in the diamond configuration. The effect of inter-atomic correlations and collective decay over the photons created in this nonlinear process is then explored. The dependence of single and two-photon correlations are studied in detail for each region by varying atomic orientations and laser parameters { consistent with current experiments involving atomic gases.}Photonic correlation functions are shown to exhibit a transition from a Lorentz-like dependence on the two-photon detuning -- with general features that can be obtained in an isolated atom scheme -- to a two-peaked distribution when the dipole-dipole interactions become relevant. For weak Rabi frequencies whose value is smaller than the highest collective decay rate, the atoms are trapped inside their ground state as they approach each other. It is found that the anisotropy of the dipole-dipole interaction and its wave nature are essential to understand the behavior of the photons correlations. Signatures of these processes are identified for existing experimental realizations.

quant-ph

Effects of environment correlations on the onset of collective decay in waveguide QED

We calculate the dynamics of one and two two-level atoms interacting with the electromagnetic vacuum field in the vicinity of an optical nanofiber without making either the Born or the Markov approximations. We use a constant dielectric function and the Drude-Lorentz model, observing deviations from the standard super- and sub-radiant decays. Despite the non-trivial environment correlations, we discuss the validity of approximating the speed of atom-atom communication to the group velocity of the guided field. Our work presents a deeper understanding of the validity of commonly used approximations in recent platforms for quantum optics applications in the context of waveguide QED.

quant-ph

Determination of the asymptotic limits of adaptive photon counting measurements for coherent-state optical phase estimation

Physical realizations of the canonical phase measurement for the optical phase are unknown. Single-shot phase estimation, which aims to determine the phase of an optical field in a single shot, is critical in quantum information processing and metrology. Here we present a family of strategies for single-shot phase estimation of coherent states based on adaptive non-Gaussian, photon counting, measurements with coherent displacements that maximize information gain as the measurement progresses, which have higher sensitivities over the best known adaptive Gaussian strategies. To gain understanding about their fundamental characteristics and demonstrate their superior performance, we develop a comprehensive statistical analysis based on the Bayesian optimal design of experiments, which provides a natural description of these non-Gaussian strategies. This mathematical framework, together with numerical analysis and Monte Carlo methods, allows us to determine the asymptotic limits in sensitivity of strategies based on photon counting designed to maximize information gain, which up to now had been a challenging problem. Moreover, we show that these non-Gaussian phase estimation strategies have the same functional form as the canonical phase measurement in the asymptotic limit differing only by a scaling factor, thus providing the highest sensitivity among physically-realizable measurements for single-shot phase estimation of coherent states known to date. This work shines light into the potential of optimized non-Gaussian measurements based on photon counting for optical quantum metrology and phase estimation.

quant-ph

Dissimilar collective decay and directional emission from two quantum emitters

We study a system of two distant quantum emitters coupled via a one-dimensional waveguide where the electromagnetic field has a direction-dependent velocity. As a consequence, the onset of collective emission is non-simultaneous and, for appropriate parameters, while one of the emitters exhibits superradiance the other can be subradiant. Interference effects enable the system to radiate in a preferential direction depending on the atomic state and the field propagation phases. We characterize such directional emission as a function of various parameters, delineating the conditions for optimal directionality.

quant-ph

Efficient qubit phase estimation using adaptive measurements

Estimating correctly the quantum phase of a physical system is a central problem in quantum parameter estimation theory due to its wide range of applications from quantum metrology to cryptography. Ideally, the optimal quantum estimator is given by the so-called quantum Cramér-Rao bound, so any measurement strategy aims to obtain estimations as close as possible to it. However, more often than not, the current state-of-the-art methods to estimate quantum phases fail to reach this bound as they rely on maximum likelihood estimators of non-identifiable likelihood functions. In this work we thoroughly review various schemes for estimating the phase of a qubit, identifying the underlying problem which prohibits these methods to reach the quantum Cramér-Rao bound, and propose a new adaptive scheme based on covariant measurements to circumvent this problem. Our findings are carefully checked by Monte Carlo simulations, showing that the method we propose is both mathematically and experimentally more realistic and more efficient than the methods currently available.

quant-ph

The atomic damping basis and the collective decay of interacting two-level atoms

We find analytical solutions to the evolution of interacting two-level atoms when the master equation is symmetric under the permutation of atomic labels. The master equation includes atomic independent dissipation. The method to obtain the solutions is: First, we use the system symmetries to describe the evolution in an operator space whose dimension grows polynomially with the number of atoms. Second, we expand the solutions in a basis composed of eigenvectors of the dissipative part of the master equation that models the independent dissipation of the atoms. This atomic damping basis is an atomic analog to the damping basis used for bosonic fields. The solutions show that the system decays as a sum of sub- and super-radiant exponential terms.

quant-ph

Feedback in a cavity QED system for control of quantum beats

Conditional measurements on the undriven mode of a two-mode cavity QED system prepare a coherent superposition of ground states which generate quantum beats. The continuous system drive induces decoherence through the phase interruptions from Rayleigh scattering, which manifests as a decrease of the beat amplitude and an increase of the frequency of oscillation. We report recent experiments that implement a simple feedback mechanism to protect the quantum beat. We continuously drive the system until a photon is detected, heralding the presence of a coherent superposition. We then turn off the drive and let the superposition evolve in the dark, protecting it against decoherence. At a later time we reinstate the drive to measure the amplitude, phase, and frequency of the beats. The amplitude can increase by more than fifty percent, while the frequency is unchanged by the feedback.

quant-ph

Control of conditional quantum beats in cavity QED: amplitude decoherence and phase shifts

We implement a simple feedback mechanism on a two-mode cavity QED system to preserve the Zeeman coherence of a ground state superposition that generates quantum beats on the second-order correlation function. Our investigation includes theoretical and experimental studies that show how to prevent a shift away from the Larmor frequency and associated decoherence caused by Rayleigh scattering. The protocol consists of turning off the drive of the system after the detection of a first photon and letting it evolve in the dark. Turning the drive back on after a pre-set time reveals a phase accumulated only from Larmor precession, with the amplitude of the quantum beat more than a factor of two larger than with continuous drive.

quant-ph

Spontaneous creation and persistence of ground-state coherence in a resonantly driven intra-cavity atomic ensemble

The spontaneous creation and persistence of ground-state coherence in an ensemble of intracavity Rb atoms has been observed as a quantum beat. Our system realizes a quantum eraser, where the detection of a first photon prepares a superposition of ground-state Zeeman sublevels, while detection of a second erases the stored information. Beats appear in the time-delayed photon-photon coincidence rate (intensity correlation function). We study the beats theoretically and experimentally as a function of system parameters, and find them remarkably robust against perturbations such as spontaneous emission. Although beats arise most simply through single-atom-mediated quantum interference, scattering pathways involving pairs of atoms interfere also in our intracavity experiment. We present a detailed model which identifies all sources of interference and accounts for experimental realities such as imperfect pre-pumping of the atomic beam, cavity birefringence, and the transit of atoms across the cavity mode.

physics.atom-ph

Anomalous light shift through quantum jumps in quasi-resonant Rayleigh scattering

An anomalous light shift in the precession of a ground-state Zeeman coherence is observed: the Larmor frequency increases with the strength of a drive that is blue (red) detuned from a transition out of the lower (upper) energy level. Our measurements are made on Rb 85 atoms traversing an optical cavity containing a few photons; shifts as large as 1% per photon are recorded. The anomalous shift arises from an accumulation of phase driven by quantum jumps. It is stochastic and accompanied by broadening.

quant-ph

Observation of ground-state quantum beats in atomic spontaneous emission

We report ground-state quantum beats in spontaneous emission from a continuously driven atomic ensemble. Beats are visible only in an intensity autocorrelation and evidence spontaneously generated coherence in radiative decay. Our measurement realizes a quantum eraser where a first photon detection prepares a superposition and a second erases the "which-path" information in the intermediate state.

quant-ph

From quantum feedback to probabilistic error correction: Manipulation of quantum beats in cavity QED

It is shown how to implement quantum feedback and probabilistic error correction in an open quantum system consisting of a single atom, with ground- and excited-state Zeeman structure, in a driven two-mode optical cavity. The ground state superposition is manipulated and controlled through conditional measurements and external fields, which shield the coherence and correct quantum errors. Modeling of an experimentally realistic situation demonstrates the robustness of the proposal for realization in the laboratory.

quant-ph

Unifying distribution functions: some lesser known distributions

We show that there is a way to unify distribution functions that describe simultaneously a signal in space and (spatial) frequency. Probably the most known of them is the Wigner distribution function. Here we show how to unify functions of the Cohen class, Rihacek's complex energy function, Husimi and Glauber-Sudarshan distribution functions.

physics.optics

Inelastic collisions in an exactly solvable two-mode Bose-Einstein Condensate

Inelastic collisions occur in Bose-Einstein condensates, in some cases, producing particle loss in the system. Nevertheless, these processes have not been studied in the case when particles do not escape the trap. We show that such inelastic processes are relevant in quantum properties of the system such as the evolution of the relative population, the self trapping effect and the probability distribution of particles. Moreover, including inelastic terms in the model of the two-mode condensate allows for an exact analytical solution. Using this solution, we show that collisions favor the generation of entanglement between the modes of the condensate as long as the collision rate does not exceed the natural frequency of the system.

quant-ph

Opacity of electromagnetically induced transparency for quantum fluctuations

We analyze the propagation of a pair of quantized fields inside a medium of three-level atoms in $Λ$ configuration. We calculate the stationary quadrature noise spectrum of the field after propagating through the medium, in the case where the probe field is in a squeezed state and the atoms show electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). We find an oscillatory transfer of the initial quantum properties between the probe and pump fields which is most strongly pronounced when both fields have comparable Rabi frequencies. This implies that the quantum state measured after propagation can be completely different from the initial state, even though the mean values of the field are unaltered.

quant-ph

A family of many-body models which are exactly solvable analytically

We present a family of many-body models which are exactly solvable analytically. The models are an extended n-body interaction Lipkin-Meshkov-Glick model which considers spin-flip terms which are associated with the interaction of an external classical field which coherently manipulates the state of the system in order to, for example, process quantum information. The models also describe a two-mode Bose-Einstein condensate with a Josephson-type interaction which includes n-particle elastic and inelastic collisions. One of the models corresponds to the canonical two-mode Bose-Einstein Hamitonian plus a term which we argue must be considered in the description of the two-mode condensate. Intriguingly, this extra term allows for an exact and analytical solution of the two-particle collision two-mode BEC problem. Our results open up an arena to study many-body system properties analytically.

quant-ph

Field autocorrelations in electromagnetically induced transparency: Effects of a squeezed probe field

The interaction of a quantized field with three-level atoms in $Λ$ configuration inside a two mode cavity is analyzed. We calculate the stationary quadrature noise spectrum of the field outside the cavity in the case where the input probe field is in a squeezed state and the atoms show electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). If the Rabi frequencies of both dipole transitions of the atoms are different from zero, we show that the output probe field have four maxima of squeezing absorption. We show that in some cases two of these frequencies can be very close to the transition frequency of the atom, in a region where the mean value of the field entering the cavity is hardly altered. Furthermore, part of the absorbed squeezing of the probe field is transfered to the pump field. For some conditions this transfer of squeezing can be complete.

quant-ph