Macroscopicity in an optomechanical matter-wave interferometer

TL;DR

This paper analyzes an optomechanical matter-wave interferometer proposal, demonstrating that it can produce mesoscopic quantum superpositions, thereby serving as a potential transducer of quantum coherence between atoms and mechanical systems.

Contribution

It introduces a measure of macroscopicity for continuous variables and identifies operational points where mesoscopic superpositions are achievable in the proposed interface.

Findings

Existence of operational points for mesoscopic superpositions

Potential for atom-to-mechanics quantum coherence transduction

Validation of the interface's macroscopic quantum capabilities

Abstract

We analyse a proposal that we have recently put forward for an interface between matter-wave and optomechanical technologies from the perspective of macroscopic quantumness. In particular, by making use of a measure of macroscopicity in quantum superpositions that is particularly well suited for continuous variables systems, we demonstrate the existence of working points for our interface at which a quantum mechanical superposition of genuinely mesoscopic states is achieved. Our proposal thus holds the potential to affirm itself as a viable atom-to-mechanics transducer of quantum coherences.