Macroscopic superpositions of phase states with Bose-Einstein condensates
Year: 2008
Authors: Piazza F., Pezzé L., Smerzi A.
Autors Affiliation: CNR-INFM BEC Center and Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Trento, I-38050 Povo, Italy;
Institut d’Optique, Campus Polytechnique, F-91127 Palaiseau, France
Abstract: Quantum superpositions of macroscopically distinguishable states having distinct phases can be created with a Bose-Einstein condensate trapped in a periodic potential. The experimental signature is contained in the phase distribution of the interference patterns obtained after releasing the traps. Moreover, in the double-well case, this distribution exhibits a dramatic dependence on the parity of the total number of atoms. We finally show that, for single-well occupations up to a few hundred atoms, the macroscopic quantum superposition can be robust enough against decoherence to be experimentally revealable within current technology.
Journal/Review: PHYSICAL REVIEW A
Volume: 78 (5) Pages from: 051601 to: 051601
KeyWords: bose-einstein condensates; entanglement; DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.78.051601ImpactFactor: 2.908Citations: 35data from “WEB OF SCIENCE” (of Thomson Reuters) are update at: 2024-12-01References taken from IsiWeb of Knowledge: (subscribers only)Connecting to view paper tab on IsiWeb: Click hereConnecting to view citations from IsiWeb: Click here