All Abstracts | Poster Abstracts | Talk Abstracts | Tutorial Abstracts

"Quantum Interference Experiments with One and More Neutral Atoms"

Dieter Meschede, Universitaet Bonn

(Session 6 : Saturday from 8:30-9:15)

Abstract. The wave properties of material particles are one of the most widely known features of quantum physics. Wave properties become apparent in diffraction and perhaps most strikingly in interference phenomena. In this talk I will present experiments where we trap and control up to a dozen neutral atoms by means of optical dipole forces. I will show how to selectively address individual atoms, how to transport and sort them, and how to store and retrieve information from the atomic qubits. Recently, we have have taken the atoms to the full quantum regime, i.e. to the observation of matter wave interferences at the single trapped atom level. We have demonstrated the quantum analogue of Brownian motion, the quantum walk, a concept of relevance in quantum information science. We have furthermore obtained excellent control of atomic motion using microwaves, including cooling to the vibrational ground levels and the creation of single particle entangled states. In a separate line of experiments we have been able to read out the spin quantum states in dispersive manner. I will discuss the options to create correlated many atom quantum states based on the available protocols.