Optimizing number squeezing when splitting a mesoscopic condensate

TL;DR

This paper develops an optimal control approach to enhance number squeezing in splitting mesoscopic Bose-Einstein condensates, significantly improving phase coherence for advanced atom interferometry.

Contribution

It introduces a novel optimal control method for condensate splitting that surpasses traditional adiabatic techniques, enabling near-Heisenberg limit performance.

Findings

Optimal splitting ramp drastically outperforms adiabatic splitting.

Enhanced phase coherence close to the Heisenberg limit.

Mapping to a parametric harmonic oscillator explains the results.

Abstract

We optimize number squeezing when splitting a mesoscopic Bose Einstein condensate. Applying optimal control theory to a realistic description of the condensate allowed us to identify a form of the splitting ramp which drastically outperforms the adiabatic splitting. The results can be interpreted in terms of a generic two-mode model mapped onto a parametric harmonic oscillator. This optimal route to squeezing paves the way to a much longer phase coherence and atom interferometry close to the Heisenberg limit.