Abstract
We sense the motion of a trapped atomic ion using a sequence of state-dependent ultrafast momentum kicks. We use this atom interferometer to characterize a nearly pure quantum state with phonon and accurately measure thermal states ranging from near the zero-point energy to , with the possibility of extending at least 100 times higher in energy. The complete energy range of this method spans from the ground state to far outside of the Lamb-Dicke regime, where atomic motion is greater than the optical wavelength. Apart from thermometry, these interferometric techniques are useful for characterizing ultrafast entangling gates between multiple trapped ions.
- Received 23 July 2015
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.115.213001
© 2015 American Physical Society
Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)
Viewpoint
Cool Physics with Warm Ions
Published 16 November 2015
Ultrafast laser pulses can be used to control and characterize the quantum motion of a single trapped ion over 5 orders of magnitude in temperature.
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