Motional Fock states for quantum-enhanced amplitude and phase measurements with trapped ions

authored by

Fabian Wolf, Chunyan Shi, Jan C. Heip, Manuel Gessner, Luca Pezzè, Augusto Smerzi, Marius Schulte, Klemens Hammerer, Piet Oliver Schmidt

Abstract

The quantum noise of the vacuum limits the achievable sensitivity of quantum sensors. In non-classical measurement schemes the noise can be reduced to overcome this limitation. However, schemes based on squeezed or Schrödinger cat states require alignment of the relative phase between the measured interaction and the non-classical quantum state. Here we present two measurement schemes on a trapped ion prepared in a motional Fock state for displacement and frequency metrology that are insensitive to this phase. The achieved statistical uncertainty is below the standard quantum limit set by quantum vacuum fluctuations, enabling applications in spectroscopy and mass measurements.

Organisation(s)

Institute of Theoretical Physics
Institute of Quantum Optics
CRC 1227 Designed Quantum States of Matter (DQ-mat)

External Organisation(s)

National Metrology Institute of Germany (PTB)
National Research Council Italy (CNR)
European Laboratory for Non-linear Spectroscopy (LENS)
Quantum Science and Technology in Arcetri

Type

Article

Journal

Nature Communications

Volume

10

ISSN

2041-1723

Publication date

02.07.2019

Publication status

E-pub ahead of print

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Chemistry(all), Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all), Physics and Astronomy(all)

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.1807.01875 (Access: Open)
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-10576-4 (Access: Open)