Researchers at JILA, a joint institute of NIST and the University of Colorado Boulder, have developed new techniques for entangling large numbers of atoms, enabling more accurate quantum measurements. The techniques, described in two papers published in Nature, involve spin squeezing and Rydberg dressing to create entangled states in arrays of atoms.
Spin squeezing reduces the range of possible states atoms can be in, improving measurement precision. The researchers demonstrated this with 51 calcium ions, creating a spin-squeezed state and a cat state. The technique could benefit optical atomic clocks and tests of fundamental physics.
In a separate study, researchers loaded 140 strontium atoms into an optical lattice and used Rydberg dressing to create entanglement across the entire array. This improved measurement precision below the standard quantum limit, enabling quicker and more precise measurements for applications like dark matter detection.
The next steps include scaling up to two-dimensional arrays of atoms and applying these techniques to optical atomic clocks. The work represents significant progress in quantum measurement science and could have broad implications for quantum technologies.
Keywords: atom, entanglement, measurement, precision, spin-squeezing
