https://doi.org/10.1007/s100530050323
Reconstruction of the two-mode vibronic quantum state of a trapped atom
1
Arbeitsgruppe Quantenoptik, Fachbereich Physik,
Universität Rostock, Universitätsplatz 3, 18051 Rostock,
Germany
2
Instituto de Fisica, Universidade Federal do Rio de
Janeiro, Caixa Postal 68528, 21945-970 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
3
Department of Physics, National Changhua University of
Education, Changhua 50058, Taiwan
Received:
5
August
1998
Published online: 15 June 1999
We present a method for the direct measurement of the Wigner-function matrix for complex vibronic states of a trapped atom, that is suited to analyse the entanglement between two motional degrees of freedom and the internal electronic dynamics. It is a generalisation of the method for the determination of vibronic quantum states [S. Wallentowitz, R.L. de Matos Filho, W. Vogel, Phys. Rev. A 56, 1205 (1997)] in conjunction with the scheme for the direct observation of the Wigner function of a single motional degree of freedom [L.G. Lutterbach, L. Davidovich, Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 2547 (1997)]. The major advantage of the present method is that it reduces the experimental efforts substantially. On the other hand, it is demonstrated that the nonlinear vibronic coupling necessary for this method turns out to be its main limitation.
PACS: 03.65.Bz – Foundations, theory of measurement, miscellaneous theories (including Aharonov-Bohm effect, Bell inequalities, Berry's phase) / 42.50.Vk – Mechanical effects of light on atoms, molecules, electrons, and ions / 32.80.Pj – Optical cooling of atoms; trapping
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 1999
