Hybrid systems for the generation of non-classical mechanical states via quadratic interactions

TL;DR

This paper introduces a method to generate non-classical mechanical states using two-phonon interactions in hybrid systems, demonstrating a dissipative phase transition and persistent non-classical states with current technology.

Contribution

The work proposes a novel implementation of two-phonon Jaynes-Cummings interactions in hybrid systems for non-classical state generation, including the observation of a dissipative phase transition.

Findings

Demonstration of a dissipative phase transition in the system

Generation of non-classical transient states with negative Wigner function

Realistic setups within current technological capabilities

Abstract

We present a method to implement two-phonon interactions between mechanical resonators and spin qubits in hybrid setups, and show that these systems can be applied for the generation of nonclassical mechanical states even in the presence of dissipation. In particular, we demonstrate that the implementation of a two-phonon Jaynes-Cummings Hamiltonian under coherent driving of the qubit yields a dissipative phase transition with similarities to the one predicted in the model of the degenerate parametric oscillator: beyond a certain threshold in the driving amplitude, the driven-dissipative system sustains a mixed steady state consisting of a `jumping cat', i.e., a cat state undergoing random jumps between two phases. We consider realistic setups and show that, in samples within reach of current technology, the system features non-classical transient states, characterized by a negative Wigner function, that persist during timescales of fractions of a second.