Optimal superpositions for particle detection via quantum phase
Exploiting quantum mechanics for sensing offers unprecedented possibilities. State-of-the-art proposals for novel quantum sensors often rely on the creation of large superpositions and generally detect a field. However, what is the optimal superposition size for detecting an incident particle from a...
Main Authors: | , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
American Physical Society
2024-04-01
|
Series: | Physical Review Research |
Online Access: | http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.6.023037 |
_version_ | 1797210149639684096 |
---|---|
author | Eva Kilian Marko Toroš P. F. Barker Sougato Bose |
author_facet | Eva Kilian Marko Toroš P. F. Barker Sougato Bose |
author_sort | Eva Kilian |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Exploiting quantum mechanics for sensing offers unprecedented possibilities. State-of-the-art proposals for novel quantum sensors often rely on the creation of large superpositions and generally detect a field. However, what is the optimal superposition size for detecting an incident particle from a specific direction? This question is nontrivial as, in general, this incident particle will scatter off with varied momenta, imparting varied recoils to the sensor, resulting in decoherence rather than a well-defined measurable phase. By considering scattering interactions of directional particulate environments with a system in a quantum superposition, we find that there is an optimal superposition size for measuring particles via a relative phase. As a consequence of the anisotropy of the environment, we observe a feature in the limiting behavior of the real and imaginary parts of the system's density matrix, linking the optimality of the superposition size to the wavelength of the scatterer. |
first_indexed | 2024-04-24T10:06:00Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-231c1d663a394b29976b0529b987785f |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2643-1564 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-04-24T10:06:00Z |
publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
publisher | American Physical Society |
record_format | Article |
series | Physical Review Research |
spelling | doaj.art-231c1d663a394b29976b0529b987785f2024-04-12T17:41:25ZengAmerican Physical SocietyPhysical Review Research2643-15642024-04-016202303710.1103/PhysRevResearch.6.023037Optimal superpositions for particle detection via quantum phaseEva KilianMarko TorošP. F. BarkerSougato BoseExploiting quantum mechanics for sensing offers unprecedented possibilities. State-of-the-art proposals for novel quantum sensors often rely on the creation of large superpositions and generally detect a field. However, what is the optimal superposition size for detecting an incident particle from a specific direction? This question is nontrivial as, in general, this incident particle will scatter off with varied momenta, imparting varied recoils to the sensor, resulting in decoherence rather than a well-defined measurable phase. By considering scattering interactions of directional particulate environments with a system in a quantum superposition, we find that there is an optimal superposition size for measuring particles via a relative phase. As a consequence of the anisotropy of the environment, we observe a feature in the limiting behavior of the real and imaginary parts of the system's density matrix, linking the optimality of the superposition size to the wavelength of the scatterer.http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.6.023037 |
spellingShingle | Eva Kilian Marko Toroš P. F. Barker Sougato Bose Optimal superpositions for particle detection via quantum phase Physical Review Research |
title | Optimal superpositions for particle detection via quantum phase |
title_full | Optimal superpositions for particle detection via quantum phase |
title_fullStr | Optimal superpositions for particle detection via quantum phase |
title_full_unstemmed | Optimal superpositions for particle detection via quantum phase |
title_short | Optimal superpositions for particle detection via quantum phase |
title_sort | optimal superpositions for particle detection via quantum phase |
url | http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.6.023037 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT evakilian optimalsuperpositionsforparticledetectionviaquantumphase AT markotoros optimalsuperpositionsforparticledetectionviaquantumphase AT pfbarker optimalsuperpositionsforparticledetectionviaquantumphase AT sougatobose optimalsuperpositionsforparticledetectionviaquantumphase |