ABSTRACT
Entanglement is at the core of quantum information processing and may prove essential for quantum speed-up. Inspired by both theoretical and experimental studies of spin-momentum coupling in systems of ultra-cold atoms, we investigate the entanglement between the spin and momentum degrees of freedom of an optically trapped BEC of 87Rb atoms. We consider entanglement that arises due to the coupling of these degrees of freedom induced by Raman and radio-frequency fields and examine its dependence on the coupling parameters by evaluating von Neumann entropy as well as concurrence as measures of the entanglement attained. Our calculations reveal that under proper experimental conditions significant spin-momentum entanglement can be obtained, with von Neumann entropy of 80% of the maximum attainable value. Our analysis sheds some light on the prospects of using BECs for quantum information applications.
ABSTRACT
The present study is inspired by the Wieman group experiment [Phys. Rev. Lett. 2005, 95, 190404], in which they use a slow modulated magnetic field to effectively transfer rubidium atoms into cold molecules near a Feshbach resonance. We develop a time-dependent collision theory based on two channel model potentials to study the atom-molecule population transfer induced by a single-color radio frequency field in an ultracold 87 Rb gas. Wave-packet dynamical simulations allow an investigation of both bound-bound transitions and free-bound transitions. The effects of temperature, detuning and the RF amplitude on the population transfer are discussed in detail. Some of our simulations suggest that oscillatory atom-molecule conversion could originate from the long coherence time of the wave packet. This coherence time is unusually long in ultracold gases because the collision energy is typically quite well-defined.
