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Schr¨odinger Cats in Double Well Bose Condensates: Modeling Their Collapse and Detection via Quantum State Diffusion |
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PP: 273-299 |
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Author(s) |
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William P. Reinhardt,
Cynthia A. Stanich,
Cory D. Schillaci,
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Abstract |
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| Can macroscopic quantum superposition states (or highly entangled number states) be
observed directly? Specifically, can phase contrast imaging be applied to observe a superposition
state with essentially “all” of the atoms in a gaseous double well BEC being
simultaneously in both wells at the same time? That is we are looking to image states of
the type jN; 0 > +j0;N > where jL;R > denotes L particles in the Left well and R
in the Right. We will happily settle for states of the form jN ? n; n > +jn;N ? n >,
with n << N, these being less ephemeral. Earlier work in our group, Perry, Reinhardt
and Kahn, has shown that such highly entangled number states may be generated by
appropriate phase engineering, just as in the case of the phase engineering of solitons in
single well BECs. Experimentalists have been hesitant to attempt to create such states
in fear that definitive observations cannot be carried out. There have also been suggestions
that “Nature” will prevent such superpositions from existing for N too large : : :
and thus there are also basic issues in quantum theory which may prevent the formation
and detection of such states. In the present progress report we begin an investigation
of calculating the lifetimes of such entangled states in the presence of both observation
and spontaneous decay both of which perturb, and eventually destroy, the entanglement
under investigation via quantum back-action. Quantum State Diffusion (QSD)
provides a useful computational tool in addressing such questions, and we present the
initial results of exploring this novel use of QSD. |
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