arXiv subjects

Pierre Meystre

Publications and source records attributed to Pierre Meystre.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

Autonomous Quantum Heat Engine Enabled by Molecular Optomechanics and Hysteresis Switching

By integrating molecular optomechanics with molecular switches, we propose a scheme for a molecular quantum heat engine that operates autonomously through hysteretic feedback without external driving or modulation. Through a comparative analysis conducted within both semiclassical and fully quantum frameworks, we reveal the influence of quantum properties embedded within the autonomous control elements on the operational efficiency and performance of this advanced molecular machine.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Quantum metrology with Bloch Oscillations in Floquet phase space

Quantum particles performing Bloch oscillations in a spatially periodic potential can be used as a very accurate detector of constant forces. We find that the similar oscillations that can appear in the Floquet phase space of a quantum particle subjected a periodic temporal driving, even in the absence of periodic lattice potential, can likewise be exploited as detectors. Compared with their spatial Bloch analog, however, the Floquet-Bloch oscillations provide significant added flexibility and open the way to a broad range of precision metrology applications. We illustrate this property on the examples of a tachometer and a magnetometer.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

Quantum Non-demolition Measurements in the Relativistic Dirac Oscillator

We investigate the feasibility of performing quantum non-demolition (QND) measurements in relativistic quantum systems, using the one-dimensional Dirac oscillator as a specific example. We derive general expressions for its QND observables and find that they are intricate combinations of the position, momentum, and spin operators, which makes them challenging to realize experimentally in general. However, the situation is considerably simplified in both the weakly and strongly relativistic limits, where their experimental realization will be possible.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Non-Markovian collective emission from macroscopically separated emitters

We study the collective radiative decay of a system of two two-level emitters coupled to a one-dimensional waveguide in a regime where their separation is comparable to the coherence length of a spontaneously emitted photon. The electromagnetic field propagating in the cavity-like geometry formed by the emitters exerts a retarded backaction on the system leading to strongly non-Markovian dynamics. The collective spontaneous emission rate of the emitters exhibits an enhancement or inhibition beyond the usual Dicke super- and sub-radiance due to a self-consistent coherent time-delayed feedback.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2018

Relativistic Measurement Backaction in the Quantum Dirac Oscillator

An elegant method to circumvent quantum measurement backaction is the use of quantum mechanics free subsystems (QMFS), with one approach involving the use of two oscillators with effective masses of opposite signs. Since negative energies, and hence masses, are a characteristic of relativistic systems a natural question is to what extent QMFS can be realized in this context. Using the example of a one-dimensional Dirac oscillator we investigate conditions under which this can be achieved, and identify Zitterbewegung or virtual pair creation as the physical mechanism that fundamentally limits the feasibility of the scheme. We propose a tabletop implementation of a Dirac oscillator system based on a spin-orbit coupled ultracold atomic sample that allows for a direct observation of the corresponding analog of virtual pair creation on quantum measurement backaction.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2018

Collective effects in Casimir-Polder forces

We study cooperative phenomena in the fluctuation-induced forces between a surface and a system of neutral two-level quantum emitters prepared in a coherent collective state, showing that the total Casimir-Polder force on the emitters can be modified via their mutual correlations. Particularly, we find that a collection of emitters prepared in a super- or subradiant state experiences an enhanced or suppressed collective vacuum-induced force, respectively. The collective nature of dispersion forces can be understood as resulting from the interference between the different processes contributing to the surface-modified resonant dipole-dipole interaction. Such cooperative fluctuation forces depend singularly on the surface response at the resonance frequency of the emitters, thus being easily maneuverable. Our results demonstrate the potential of collective phenomena as a new tool to selectively tailor vacuum forces.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2017

One qubit and one photon -- the simplest polaritonic heat engine

Hybrid quantum systems can often be described in terms of polaritons. These are quasiparticles formed of superpositions of their constituents, with relative weights depending on some control parameter in their interaction. In many cases, these constituents are coupled to reservoirs at different temperatures. This suggests a general approach to the realization of polaritonic heat engines where a thermodynamic cycle is realized by tuning this control parameter. Here we discuss what is arguably the simplest such engine, a single qubit coupled to a single photon. We show that this system can extract work from feeble thermal microwave fields. We also propose a quantum measurement scheme of the work and evaluate its back-action on the operation of the engine.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2015

Work measurement in an optomechanical quantum heat engine

We analyze theoretically the measurement of the mean output work and its fluctuations in a recently proposed optomechanical quantum heat engine [K. Zhang {\it et al.} Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf112}, 150602 (2014)]. After showing that this work can be evaluated by a continuous measurements of the intracavity photon number we discuss both dispersive and absorptive measurement schemes and analyze their back-action effects on the efficiency of the engine. Both measurements are found to reduce the efficiency of the engine, but their back-action is both qualitatively and quantitatively different. For dispersive measurements the efficiency decreases as a result of the mixing of photonic and phononic excitations, while for absorptive measurements, its reduction results from photon losses due to the interaction with the quantum probe.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2015

Proposal for an Optomechanical Microwave Sensor at the Subphoton Level

Because of their low energy content, microwave signals at the single-photon level are extremely challenging to measure. Guided by recent progress in single-photon optomechanics and hybrid optomechanical systems, we propose a multimode optomechanical transducer that can detect intensities significantly below the single-photon level via adiabatic transfer of the microwave signal to the optical frequency domain where the measurement is then performed. The influence of intrinsic quantum and thermal fluctuations is also discussed.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2014

Theory of an optomechanical quantum heat engine

Coherent interconversion between optical and mechanical excitations in an optomechanical cavity can be used to engineer a quantum heat engine. This heat engine is based on an Otto cycle between a cold photonic reservoir and a hot phononic reservoir [Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 150602 (2014)]. Building on our previous work, we (i) develop a detailed theoretical analysis of the work and the efficiency of the engine, and (ii) perform an investigation of the quantum thermodynamics underlying this scheme. In particular, we analyze the thermodynamic performance in both the dressed polariton picture and the original bare photon and phonon picture. Finally, (iii) a numerical simulation is performed to derive the full evolution of the quantum optomechanical system during the Otto cycle, by taking into account all relevant sources of noise.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2014

Quantum Optomechanical Heat Engine

We investigate theoretically a quantum optomechanical realization of a heat engine. In a generic optomechanical arrangement the optomechanical coupling between the cavity field and the oscillating end-mirror results in polariton normal mode excitations whose character depends on the pump detuning and the coupling strength. By varying that detuning it is possible to transform their character from phonon-like to photon-like, so that they are predominantly coupled to the thermal reservoir of phonons or photons, respectively. We exploit the fact that the effective temperatures of these two reservoirs are different to produce a Otto cycle along one of the polariton branches. We discuss the basic properties of the system in two different regimes: in the optical domain it is possible to extract work from the thermal energy of a mechanical resonator at finite temperature, while in the microwave range one can in principle exploit the cycle to extract work from the blackbody radiation background coupled to an ultra-cold atomic ensemble.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2013

Back-action-free quantum optomechanics with negative-mass Bose-Einstein condensates

We propose that the dispersion management of coherent atomic matter waves can be exploited to overcome quantum back-action in condensate-based optomechanical sensors. The effective mass of an atomic Bose-Einstein condensate modulated by an optical lattice can become negative, resulting in a negative-frequency optomechanical oscillator, a negative environment temperature, and optomechanical properties opposite to those of a positive-mass system. This enables a quantum-mechanics-free subsystem insulated from quantum back-action.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2013

Optomechanical back-action evading measurement without parametric instability

We review a scheme for performing a back-action evading measurement of one mechanical quadrature in an optomechanical setup. The experimental application of this scheme has been limited by parametric instabilities caused in general by a slight dependence of the mechanical frequency on the electromagnetic energy in the cavity. We find that a simple modification to the optical drive can effectively eliminate the parametric instability even at high intracavity power, allowing realistic devices to achieve sub-zero-point uncertainties in the measured quadrature.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2012

Role reversal in a Bose-condensed optomechanical system

We analyze the optomechanics-like properties of a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) trapped inside an optical resonator and driven by both a classical and a quantized light field. We find that this system exhibits a nature of role reversal between the matter-wave field and the quantized light field. As a result, the matter wave field now plays the role of the quantized light field, and the quantized light field behaves like a movable mirror, in contrast to the familiar situation in BEC-based cavity optomechanics [Brennecke et al., Science 322, 235 (2008); Murch et al., Nat. Phys. 4, 561 (2008)]. We demonstrate that this system can lead to the creation of a variety of nonclassical matter-wave fields, in particular cat states, and discuss several possible protocols to measure their Wigner function.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2011

The role of quantum fluctuations in the optomechanical properties of a Bose-Einstein condensate in a ring cavity

We analyze a detailed model of a Bose-Einstein condensate trapped in a ring optical resonator and contrast its classical and quantum properties to those of a Fabry-P{é}rot geometry. The inclusion of two counter-propagating light fields and three matter field modes leads to important differences between the two situations. Specifically, we identify an experimentally realizable region where the system's behavior differs strongly from that of a BEC in a Fabry-Pérot cavity, and also where quantum corrections become significant. The classical dynamics are rich, and near bifurcation points in the mean-field classical system, the quantum fluctuations have a major impact on the system's dynamics.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2011

Spin Squeezing with Coherent Light via Entanglement Swapping

We analyze theoretically a scheme that produces spin squeezing via the continuous swapping of atom-photon entanglement into atom-atom entanglement, and propose an explicit experimental system where the necessary atom-field coupling can be realized. This scheme is found to be robust against perturbations due to other atom-field coupling channels.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2010

Laser phase noise effects on the dynamics of optomechanical resonators

We investigate theoretically the influence of laser phase noise on the cooling and heating of a generic cavity optomechanical system. We derive the back-action damping and heating rates and the mechanical frequency shift of the radiation pressure-driven oscillating mirror, and derive the minimum phonon occupation number for small laser linewidths. We find that in practice laser phase noise does not pose serious limitations to ground state cooling. We then consider the effects of laser phase noise in a parametric cavity driving scheme that minimizes the back-action heating of one of the quadratures of the mechanical oscillator motion. Laser linewidths narrow compared to the decay rate of the cavity field will not pose any problems in an experimental setting, but broader linewidths limit the practicality of this back-action evasion method.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2009

Two-fluid model of a Bose-Einstein condensate in the cavity optomechanical regime

We analyze an atomic Bose-Einstein condensate trapped in a high-Q optical cavity driven by a feeble optical field, a situation formally analogous to the central paradigm of cavity optomechanics [Brennecke et al., Science, 322, 235 (2008)]. We account for two-body interactions via a two-fluid model that retains the intuitive appeal of the optomechanical two-mode description. The Bogoliubov excitation spectrum of this system comprises a gapped upper branch and a lower branch that can include an unstable excitation mode.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗