Quantum metrology with coherent superposition of two different coded channels

We investigate the advantage of coherent superposition of two different coded channels in quantum metrology.In a continuous variable system,we show that the Heisenberg limit 1/N can be beaten by the coherent superposition without the help of indefinite causal order.And in parameter estimation,we demonstrate that the strategy with the coherent superposition can perform better than the strategy with quantum switch which can generate indefinite causal order.We analytically obtain the general form of estimation precision in terms of the quantum Fisher information and further prove that the nonlinear Hamiltonian can improve the estimation precision and make the measurement uncertainty scale as 1/N^(m) for m≥2.Our results can help to construct a high-precision measurement equipment,which can be applied to the detection of coupling strength and the test of time dilation and the modification of the canonical commutation relation.

Nonclassicality and decoherence of the coherent superposition operation of photon subtraction and addition on the squeezed state

The statistical properties of m-coherent superposition operation（μa ＋ νa）^m on the single-mode squeezed vacuum state（M-SSVS） and its decoherence in a thermal environment are studied.Converting the M-SSVS to a squeezed Hermite polynomial excitation state,we obtain a compact expression for the normalization factor of M-SSVS,which is the Legendre polynomial of the squeezing parameter.We also derive the explicit expression of the Wigner function（WF） of the M-SSVS,and find the negative region of the WF in phase space.The decoherence effect on this state is then discussed by deriving the time evolution of the WF.Using the negativity of the WF,the loss of nonclassicality is then discussed.

Preparing of coherent superposition state in serial multi-∧-type system by stimulated Raman adiabatic passage

A scheme for creating an arbitrary coherent superposition of two atomic states in serial multi-A-type system is proposed. This technique with the application of a control field is based on the existence of two degenerate dark states and their interaction. The mixing of the dark states can be controlled by changing the relative delay time of the control pulse. One can get any desired superposition by changing the delay time of the control pulse.

Propagation of the off-axis superposition of partially coherent beams through atmospheric turbulence

The propagation properties of the off-axis superposition of partially coherent beams through atmospheric turbulence and their beam quality in terms of the mean-squared beam width w（z） and the power in the bucket （PIB） are studied in detail, where the effects of partial coherence, off-axis beam superposition and atmospheric turbulence are considered. The analytical expressions for the intensity, the beam width and the PIB are derived, and illustrative examples are given numerically. It is shown that the maximum intensity/max and the PIB decrease and w（z） increases as the refraction index structure constant Cn^2 increases. Therefore, the turbulence results in a degradation of the beam quality. However, the resulting partially coherent beam with a smaller value of spatial correlation parameter γ and larger values of separate distance Xd and beam number M is less affected by the turbulence than that with a larger value of y and smaller values of Xd and M. The main results obtained in this paper are explained physically.

Amplitude-squared squeezing of superposition of coherent states

This paper discusses the amplitude-squared squeezing for the superposition of two coherent states with their phase differences being separately π/2, 3π/2, and π1, as well as for the superposition state of two pseudoclassical states. According to the analysis, it is found that the superposition state of two coherent states with their phase differences π/2 and 3π/2, and the superposition state of two pseudoclassical states both do exhibit the amplitude-squared squeezing. Also, some specific states are found to exhibit even stronger squeezing effects when relative phase of the superposition is equal to the average photon number. Amplitude-squared squeezing is dependent on the difference in phase between two coherent states.

Generation of superpositions of coherent states for an atomic sample in cavity QED

This paper proposes a scheme for generation of superpositions of coherent states of the effective bosonic mode in a collection of atoms. In the scheme an atomic sample interacts with a slightly detuned cavity mode and a resonant strong classical field. Under ceitain conditions the atomic system evolves from a coherent state to a superposition of coherent states.

Generation of any superposition of coherent states along a straight line via resonant atom-cavity interaction

This paper proposes a scheme for generating arbitrary superpositions of several coherent states along a straight line for a cavity mode. In the scheme, several atoms are sent through a cavity initially in a strong coherent state. The superposition of several coherent states with desired coefficients may be generated if each atom is detected in the excited state after it exits the cavity. The scheme is based on resonant atom-cavity interaction and no classical field is required during and after the atom cavity interaction. Thus, the scheme is very simple and the interaction time is very short, which is important in view of decoherence.