Related papers: Tachyon physics with trapped ions
Isolating neutral and charged particles from the environment is essential in precision experiments. For decades, this has been achieved by trapping ions with radio-frequency (rf) fields and neutral particles with optical fields. Recently,…
We present a mechanical analog of a quantum wave-particle duality: a vibrating string threaded through a freely moving bead or `masslet'. For small string amplitudes, the particle movement is governed by a set of non-linear dynamical…
We experimentally demonstrate a quantum walk on a line in phase space using one and two trapped ion. A walk with up to 23 steps is realized by subjecting an ion to state-dependent displacement operations interleaved with quantum coin…
Usually considered highly speculative, tachyons can be treated via straightforward Einsteinian dynamics. Kinetic theory and thermodynamics for a gas of ``dark'' tachyons are readily constructed. Such a gas exhibits density and pressure…
Trapped atomic ion crystals are a leading platform for quantum simulations of spin systems, with programmable and long-range spin-spin interactions mediated by excitations of phonons in the crystal. We describe a complementary approach for…
Non-tachyonic superluminal sectors of matter (superbradyons), with critical speeds in vacuum much larger than the speed of light, can quite naturally exist and play an important role in both cosmic-ray physics (anomalous high-energy events)…
We simulate the dynamics, including laser cooling, of 3D ion crystals confined in a Penning trap using a newly developed molecular dynamics-like code. The numerical integration of the ions' equations of motion is accelerated using the fast…
The Unruh effect predicts that an accelerated observer perceives the Minkowski vacuum as a thermal bath, but its direct observation requires extreme accelerations beyond current experimental reach. Foundational theory [Olson & Ralph, Phys.…
Excess micromotion is detrimental to accurate qubit control of trapped ions, thus measuring and minimizing it is crucial. In this paper, we present a simple approach for measuring and suppressing excess micromotion of trapped ions by…
Classically allowed transport is shown to compete with quantum tunneling during the ionization of atoms by ultrashort and intense laser pulses, despite Keldysh parameters smaller than unity. This is done by comparing exact probability…
Tunneling of a particle through a potential barrier remains one of the most remarkable quantum phenomena. Owing to advances in laser technology, electric fields comparable to those electrons experience in atoms are readily generated and…
We perform numerical simulations of trapped $^{171}$Yb$^+$ ions that are buffer gas cooled by a cold cloud of $^6$Li atoms. This species combination has been suggested to be the most promising for reaching the quantum regime of interacting…
We discuss the properties of 1D stationary pulses of light in atomic ensemble with electromagnetically induced transparency in the limit of tight spatial confinement. When the size of the wavepacket becomes comparable or smaller than the…
Trapped atomic ions have proven to be one of the most promising candidates for the realization of quantum computation due to their long trapping times, excellent coherence properties, and exquisite control of the internal atomic states.…
Trapped ion systems are a leading platform for quantum information processing, but they are currently limited to 1D and 2D arrays, which imposes restrictions on both their scalability and their range of applications. Here, we propose a path…
The Dirac equation has resided among the greatest successes of modern physics since its emergence as the first quantum mechanical theory fully compatible with special relativity. This compatibility ensures that the expectation value of the…
Self-trapping and acceleration of ions in laser-driven relativistically transparent plasma are investigated with the help of particle-in-cell simulations. A theoretical model based on ion wave breaking is established in describing ion…
In recent experiments conducted by the OPERA collaboration, researchers claimed the observation of neutrinos propagating faster than the light speed in vacuum. If correct, their results raise several issues concerning the special theory of…
We present a cryogenic ion trapping system designed for large scale quantum simulation of spin models. Our apparatus is based on a segmented-blade ion trap enclosed in a 4 K cryostat, which enables us to routinely trap over 100…
Within an axiomatic framework of kinematics, we prove that the existence of faster than light particles is logically independent of Einstein's special theory of relativity. Consequently, it is consistent with the kinematics of special…