Optimal Superpositions for Particle Detection via Quantum Phase

Fuente: arXiv
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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kilian, Eva, Toroš, Marko, Barker, P. F., Bose, Sougato
Format: Preprint
Published: 2023
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author Kilian, Eva
Toroš, Marko
Barker, P. F.
Bose, Sougato
author_facet Kilian, Eva
Toroš, Marko
Barker, P. F.
Bose, Sougato
contents Exploiting quantum mechanics for sensing offers unprecedented possibilities. State of the art proposals for novel quantum sensors often rely on the creation of large superpositions and generally detect a field. However, what is the optimal superposition size for detecting an incident particle (or an incident stream of particles) from a specific direction? This question is nontrivial as, in general, this incident particle will scatter off with varied momenta, imparting varied recoils to the sensor, resulting in decoherence rather than a well defined measurable phase. By considering scattering interactions of directional particulate environments with a system in a quantum superposition, we find that there is an "optimal superposition" size for measuring incoming particles via a relative phase. As a consequence of the anisotropy of the environment, we observe a novel feature in the limiting behaviour of the real and imaginary parts of the system's density matrix, linking the optimality of the superposition size to the wavelength of the scatterer.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2307_15186
institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Optimal Superpositions for Particle Detection via Quantum Phase
Kilian, Eva
Toroš, Marko
Barker, P. F.
Bose, Sougato
Quantum Physics
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Exploiting quantum mechanics for sensing offers unprecedented possibilities. State of the art proposals for novel quantum sensors often rely on the creation of large superpositions and generally detect a field. However, what is the optimal superposition size for detecting an incident particle (or an incident stream of particles) from a specific direction? This question is nontrivial as, in general, this incident particle will scatter off with varied momenta, imparting varied recoils to the sensor, resulting in decoherence rather than a well defined measurable phase. By considering scattering interactions of directional particulate environments with a system in a quantum superposition, we find that there is an "optimal superposition" size for measuring incoming particles via a relative phase. As a consequence of the anisotropy of the environment, we observe a novel feature in the limiting behaviour of the real and imaginary parts of the system's density matrix, linking the optimality of the superposition size to the wavelength of the scatterer.
title Optimal Superpositions for Particle Detection via Quantum Phase
topic Quantum Physics
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2307.15186