Abstract
A scheme to realize an optical switch with quantum coherence between its ‘‘open’’ and ‘‘closed’’ states is presented. It involves a single atom in a superposition of circular Rydberg states crossing a high Q cavity. A combination of switches could be used to prepare a quantum superposition of coherent microwave field states located simultaneously in two cavities. Such nonclassical states and their decoherence due to cavity dissipation could be studied by performing atom correlation experiments.
- Received 2 July 1993
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.71.2360
©1993 American Physical Society
