Abstract
We prove that temporal control of the strengths of springs connecting harmonic oscillators in a chain provides complete access to all Gaussian states of collective modes. The proof relies on the construction of a suitable basis of cradle modes for the system. An iterative algorithm to reach any desired Gaussian state requires at most operations. We illustrate this capability by engineering squeezed pseudo-phonon states—highly nonlocal, strongly correlated states that may result from various nonlinear processes. Tunable chains of coupled harmonic oscillators can be implemented by a number of current state-of-the-art experimental platforms, including cold atoms in lattice potentials, arrays of mechanical micro-oscillators, and coupled optical waveguides.
- Received 9 October 2017
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.97.042111
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