Spin correlations as a probe of quantum synchronization in trapped ion phonon-lasers

Hush, Michael R.; Li, Weibin; Genway, Sam; Lesanovsky, Igor; Armour, A.D.

Abstract

We investigate quantum synchronization theoretically in a system consisting of two cold ions in microtraps. The ions' motion is damped by a standing-wave laser whilst also being driven by a blue-detuned laser which results in self-oscillation. Working in a non-classical regime, where these oscillations contain only a few phonons and have a sub-Poissonian number variance, we explore how synchronization occurs when the two ions are weakly coupled using a probability distribution for the relative phase. We show that strong correlations arise between the spin and vibrational degrees of freedom within each ion and find that when two ions synchronize their spin degrees of freedom in turn become correlated. This allows one to indirectly infer the presence of synchronization by measuring the ions' internal state.

Citation

Hush, M. R., Li, W., Genway, S., Lesanovsky, I., & Armour, A. (2015). Spin correlations as a probe of quantum synchronization in trapped ion phonon-lasers. Physical Review A, 91, Article 061401. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.91.061401

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 8, 2015
• Publication Date: Jun 4, 2015
• Deposit Date: Jul 13, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 13, 2016
• Journal: Physical Review A
• Print ISSN: 2469-9926
• Electronic ISSN: 2469-9934
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 91
• Article Number: 061401
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.91.061401
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/755189
• Publisher URL: http://journals.aps.org/pra/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevA.91.061401
• Contract Date: Jul 13, 2016