Single-shot measurements of phonon number states using the Autler-Townes effect

TL;DR

This paper introduces a single-shot, non-demolition measurement technique for phonon number states in quantum harmonic oscillators, demonstrated with trapped ions, utilizing Autler-Townes splitting for state detection and preparation.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel single-shot measurement method for phonon number states using Autler-Townes splitting, applicable to systems with multiple energy levels like trapped ions.

Findings

Successfully demonstrated phonon number state measurement with a single trapped ion.

Showed the method can be used for non-demolition state preparation.

Measured phonon number distributions using Autler-Townes splitting.

Abstract

We present a single-shot method to measure motional states in the number basis. The technique can be applied to systems with at least three non-degenerate energy levels which can be coupled to a linear quantum harmonic oscillator, such as in trapped ion experiments. The method relies on probing an Autler-Townes splitting that arises when two levels are strongly coupled via a phonon-number changing transition. We demonstrate the method using a single trapped ion and show that it may be used in a non-demolition fashion to prepare phonon number states. We also show how the Autler-Townes splitting can be used to measure phonon number distributions.