Large array of Schr\"odinger cat states facilitated by an optical waveguide

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the creation of a large array of Schr"odinger cat states in single atoms within a photonic waveguide, advancing quantum information processing and simulation capabilities.

Contribution

It introduces a method to coherently excite motional states of atoms in a photonic waveguide, achieving a large-scale array of entangled Schr"odinger cat states.

Findings

Created approximately 15,000 entangled Schr"odinger cat states

Manipulated mechanical Fock states of atoms in a hollow-core fibre

Demonstrated potential for quantum information and simulation

Abstract

Quantum engineering using photonic structures offer new capabilities for atom-photon interactions for quantum optics and atomic physics, which could eventually lead to integrated quantum devices. Despite the rapid progress in the variety of structures, coherent excitation of the motional states of atoms in a photonic waveguide using guided modes has yet to be demonstrated. Here, we use the waveguide mode of a hollow-core photonic crystal fibre to manipulate the mechanical Fock states of single atoms in a harmonic potential inside the fibre. We create a large array of Schr\"odinger cat states, a quintessential feature of quantum physics and a key element in quantum information processing and metrology, of approximately 15000 atoms along the fibre by entangling the electronic state with the coherent harmonic oscillator state of each individual atom. Our results provide a useful step for quantum information and simulation with a wide range of photonic waveguide systems.