Ultrasensitive Atomic Spin Measurements with a Nonlinear Interferometer
We study nonlinear interferometry applied to a measurement of atomic spin and demonstrate a sensitivity that cannot be achieved by any linear-optical measurement with the same experimental resources. We use alignment-to-orientation conversion, a nonlinear-optical technique from optical magnetometry,...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Physical Society
2014-06-01
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| Series: | Physical Review X |
| Online Access: | http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevX.4.021045 |
| _version_ | 1818738033624612864 |
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| author | R. J. Sewell M. Napolitano N. Behbood G. Colangelo F. Martin Ciurana M. W. Mitchell |
| author_facet | R. J. Sewell M. Napolitano N. Behbood G. Colangelo F. Martin Ciurana M. W. Mitchell |
| author_sort | R. J. Sewell |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We study nonlinear interferometry applied to a measurement of atomic spin and demonstrate a sensitivity that cannot be achieved by any linear-optical measurement with the same experimental resources. We use alignment-to-orientation conversion, a nonlinear-optical technique from optical magnetometry, to perform a nondestructive measurement of the spin alignment of a cold ^{87}Rb atomic ensemble. We observe state-of-the-art spin sensitivity in a single-pass measurement, in good agreement with covariance-matrix theory. Taking the degree of measurement-induced spin squeezing as a figure of merit, we find that the nonlinear technique’s experimental performance surpasses the theoretical performance of any linear-optical measurement on the same system, including optimization of probe strength and tuning. The results confirm the central prediction of nonlinear metrology, that superior scaling can lead to superior absolute sensitivity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T01:02:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f196b0299e9242b7be12f1e62c52c61d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2160-3308 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T01:02:30Z |
| publishDate | 2014-06-01 |
| publisher | American Physical Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Physical Review X |
| spelling | doaj.art-f196b0299e9242b7be12f1e62c52c61d2022-12-21T21:26:20ZengAmerican Physical SocietyPhysical Review X2160-33082014-06-014202104510.1103/PhysRevX.4.021045Ultrasensitive Atomic Spin Measurements with a Nonlinear InterferometerR. J. SewellM. NapolitanoN. BehboodG. ColangeloF. Martin CiuranaM. W. MitchellWe study nonlinear interferometry applied to a measurement of atomic spin and demonstrate a sensitivity that cannot be achieved by any linear-optical measurement with the same experimental resources. We use alignment-to-orientation conversion, a nonlinear-optical technique from optical magnetometry, to perform a nondestructive measurement of the spin alignment of a cold ^{87}Rb atomic ensemble. We observe state-of-the-art spin sensitivity in a single-pass measurement, in good agreement with covariance-matrix theory. Taking the degree of measurement-induced spin squeezing as a figure of merit, we find that the nonlinear technique’s experimental performance surpasses the theoretical performance of any linear-optical measurement on the same system, including optimization of probe strength and tuning. The results confirm the central prediction of nonlinear metrology, that superior scaling can lead to superior absolute sensitivity.http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevX.4.021045 |
| spellingShingle | R. J. Sewell M. Napolitano N. Behbood G. Colangelo F. Martin Ciurana M. W. Mitchell Ultrasensitive Atomic Spin Measurements with a Nonlinear Interferometer Physical Review X |
| title | Ultrasensitive Atomic Spin Measurements with a Nonlinear Interferometer |
| title_full | Ultrasensitive Atomic Spin Measurements with a Nonlinear Interferometer |
| title_fullStr | Ultrasensitive Atomic Spin Measurements with a Nonlinear Interferometer |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ultrasensitive Atomic Spin Measurements with a Nonlinear Interferometer |
| title_short | Ultrasensitive Atomic Spin Measurements with a Nonlinear Interferometer |
| title_sort | ultrasensitive atomic spin measurements with a nonlinear interferometer |
| url | http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevX.4.021045 |
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