Spin squeezing in an ensemble of quadrupolar nuclei NMR system

We have characterized spin-squeezed states produced at a temperature of $26^circ{mathrm C}$ on a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) quadrupolar system. The implementation is carried out in an ensemble of $^{133}$Cs nuclei with spin $I=7/2$ of a lyotropic liquid crystal sample. We identify the source of spin squeezing due to the interaction between the quadrupole moment of the nuclei and the electric field gradients internally present in the molecules. We use the spin angular momentum representation to describe formally the nonlinear operators that produce the spin squeezing. The quantitative and qualitatively characterization of the spin squeezing phenomena is performed through a squeezing parameter and squeezing angle developed for the two-mode BEC system, and, as well, by the Wigner quasi-probability distribution function. The generality of the present experimental scheme indicates its potential applications on solid state physics.

Classical bifurcation in a quadrupolar NMR system

The Josephson Junction model is applied to the experimental implementation of classical bifurcation in a quadrupolar Nuclear Magnetic Resonance system. There are two regimes, one linear and one nonlinear which are implemented by the radio-frequency term and the quadrupolar term of the Hamiltonian of a spin system respectively. Those terms provide an explanation of the symmetry breaking due to bifurcation. Bifurcation depends on the coexistence of both regimes at the same time in different proportions. The experiment is performed on a lyotropic liquid crystal sample of an ordered ensemble of $^{133}$Cs nuclei with spin $I=7/2$ at room temperature. Our experimental results confirm that bifurcation happens independently of the spin value and of the physical system. With this experimental spin scenario, we confirm that a quadrupolar nuclei system could be described analogously to a symmetric two--mode Bose--Einstein condensate.

Spin coherent states in NMR quadrupolar system: experimental and theoretical applications

Working with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in quadrupolar spin systems, in this paper we transfer the concept of atomic coherent state to the nuclear spin context, where it is referred to as pseudo-nuclear spin coherent state (pseudo-NSCS). Experimentally, we discuss the initialization of the pseudo-NSCSs and also their quantum control, implemented by polar and azimuthal rotations. Theoretically, we compute the geometric phases acquired by an initial pseudo-NSCS on undergoing three distinct cyclic evolutions: $ i) $ the free evolution of the NMR quadrupolar system and, by analogy with the evolution of the NMR quadrupolar system, that of $ii)$ single-mode and $ iii)$ two-mode Bose-Einstein Condensate like system. By means of these analogies, we derive, through spin angular momentum operators, results equivalent to those presented in the literature for orbital angular momentum operators. The pseudo-NSCS description is a starting point to introduce the spin squeezed state and quantum metrology into nuclear spin systems of liquid crystal or solid matter.

Measuring bipartite quantum correlations of an unknown state

We report the experimental measurement of bipartite quantum correlations of an unknown two-qubit state. Using a liquid state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) setup and employing geometric discord, we evaluate the quantum correlations of a state without resorting to prior knowledge of its density matrix. The method is applicable to any (2 x d) system and provides, in terms of number of measurements required, an advantage over full state tomography scaling with the dimension d of the unmeasured subsystem. The negativity of quantumness is measured as well for reference. We also observe the phenomenon of sudden transition of quantum correlations when local phase and amplitude damping channels are applied to the state.

Quantum discord in nuclear magnetic resonance systems at room temperature

We review the theoretical and the experimental aspects regarding the quantification and identification of quantum correlations in liquid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) systems at room temperature. We start by introducing a formal method to obtain the quantum discord and its classical counterpart in systems described by a deviation matrix. Next, we apply such a method to experimentally demonstrate that the peculiar dynamics, with a sudden change behaviour, of quantum discord under decoherence, theoretically predicted only for phase-noise channels, is also present even under the effect of a thermal environment. This result shows that such a phenomena are much stronger than we could think, at principle. Walking through a different path, we discuss an observable witness for the quantumness of correlations in two-qubit systems and present the first experimental implementation of such a quantity in a NMR setup. Such a witness could be very useful in situations were the knowledge of the nature of correlations (in contrast of how much correlations) presented in a given state is enough.

On the quantumness of correlations in nuclear magnetic resonance

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) was successfully employed to test several protocols and ideas in Quantum Information Science. In most of these implementations the existence of entanglement was ruled out. This fact introduced concerns and questions about the quantum nature of such bench tests. In this article we address some issues related to the non-classical aspects of NMR systems. We discuss some experiments where the quantum aspects of this system are supported by quantum correlations of separable states. Such quantumness, beyond the entanglement-separability paradigm, is revealed via a departure between the quantum and the classic

Experimental analysis of the quantum complementarity principle

One of the milestones of quantum mechanics is Bohrs complementarity principle. It states that a single quantum can exhibit a particle-like emph{or} a wave-like behaviour, but never both at the same time. These are mutually exclusive and complementary aspects of the quantum system. This means that we need distinct experimental arrangements in order to measure the particle or the wave nature of a physical system. One of the most known representations of this principle is the single-photon Mach-Zehnder interferometer. When the interferometer is closed an interference pattern is observed (wave aspect of the quantum) while if it is open, the quantum behaves like a particle. Here, using a molecular quantum information processor and employing nuclear magnetic resonant (NMR) techniques, we analyze the quantum version of this principle by means of an interferometer that is in a quantum superposition of being closed and open, and confirm that we can indeed measure both aspects of the system with the same experimental apparatus. More specifically, we observe with a single apparatus the interference between the particle and the wave aspects of a quantum system.

Environment-induced sudden transition in quantum discord dynamics

Non-classical correlations play a crucial role in the development of quantum information science. The recent discovery that non-classical correlations can be present even in separable (unentangled) states has broadened this scenario. This generalized quantum correlation has been increasing relevance in several fields, among them quantum communication, quantum computation, quantum phase transitions, and biological systems. We demonstrate here the occurrence of the sudden-change phenomenon and immunity against some sources of noise for the quantum discord and its classical counterpart, in a room temperature nuclear magnetic resonance setup. The experiment is performed in a decohering environment causing loss of phase relations among the energy eigenstates and exchange of energy between system and environment, resulting in relaxation to a Gibbs ensemble.

Experimentally Witnessing the Quantumness of Correlations

The quantification of quantum correlations (other than entanglement) usually entails laboured numerical optimization procedures also demanding quantum state tomographic methods. Thus it is interesting to have a laboratory friendly witness for the nature of correlations. In this Letter we report a direct experimental implementation of such a witness in a room temperature nuclear magnetic resonance system. In our experiment the nature of correlations is revealed by performing only few local magnetization measurements. We also compare the witness results with those for the symmetric quantum discord and we obtained a fairly good agreement.