Spin measurements and control of cold atoms using spin-orbit fields

D. Sokolovski and E. Ya. Sherman
Phys. Rev. A 89, 043614 – Published 21 April 2014

Abstract

We show that by switching on a spin-orbit interaction in a cold-atom system, experiencing a Zeeman-like coupling to an external field, e.g., in a Bose-Einstein condensate, one can simulate a quantum measurement on a precessing spin. Depending on the realization, the measurement can access both the ergodic and the Zeno regimes, while the time dependence of the spin's decoherence may vary from a Gaussian to an inverse fractional power law. Back action of the measurement forms time- and coordinate-dependent profiles of the atoms' density, resulting in its translation, spin-dependent fragmentation, and appearance of interference patterns.

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  • Received 9 August 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.89.043614

©2014 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

D. Sokolovski and E. Ya. Sherman

  • Departmento de Química-Física, Universidad del País Vasco, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain and IKERBASQUE Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain

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Issue

Vol. 89, Iss. 4 — April 2014

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