Ways to Mitigate Decoherence in Solitonic Schroedinger Cats

University Of Massachusetts Boston, Dorchester MA

Investigators

Abstract

Observed states of macroscopic systems seldom exhibit obvious quantum characteristics. This is usually attributed to the effects of decoherence; that is, the influence of uncontrolled environmental variables which "average out" the quantum strangeness. This project is the continuation of a long-term effort to realize macroscopic quantum states using solitons (non-linear waves) generated in Bose-Einstein condensates. When such a wave is scattered from a potential barrier, it breaks into two; a high-frequency part that transcends the barrier, and a low-frequency part that is reflected. The question to be studied is whether, and under what conditions, the two components retain quantum coherence. Macroscopic quantum coherence plays a special role in modern physics. While being one of the most fundamental but untested assumptions, it promises a multifold increase in sensitivity of quantum sensors. This project is founded on a conjecture that large solitonic Schroedinger cats can emerge within a seemingly mean-field friendly range of parameters, for a large but limited number of atoms in a soliton. The conjecture will be theoretically explored by graduate students using a variety of computational methods. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.