Proposals for creating Schrödinger cat states in bose-einstein condensates

Abstract

Three different schemes for producing Schrödinger cat states in Bose-Einstein condensates are outlined and the effects of loss in each of them compared. The first scheme involves coupled interacting condensates and proves to be very fragile to loss. This is improved upon with a second scheme which first evolves a cat state in phase space and then rapidly transforms it to a number cat state. Finally a third scheme is discussed which makes use of number correlated condensates and is remarkably robust to loss. It may prove to be valuable for experimentally creating such states.