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We develop an interferometric technique for making time-resolved measurements of field-quadrature operators for nonequilibrium ultracold bosons in optical lattices. The technique exploits the internal state structure of magnetic atoms to create two subsystems of atoms in different spin states and lattice sites. A Feshbach resonance turns off atom-atom interactions in one spin subsystem, making it a well-characterized reference state, while atoms in the other subsystem undergo nonequilibrium dynamics for a variable hold time. Interfering the subsystems via a second beam-splitting operation, time-resolved quadrature measurements on the interacting atoms are obtained by detecting relative spin populations. The technique can provide quadrature measurements for a variety of Hamiltonians and lattice geometries (e.g., cubic, honeycomb, superlattices), including systems with tunneling, spin-orbit couplings using artificial gauge fields, and higher-band effects. Analyzing the special case of a deep lattice with negligible tunneling, we obtain the time evolution of both quadrature observables and their fluctuations. As a second application, we show that the interferometer can be used to measure atom-atom interaction strengths with super-Heisenberg scaling n^(-3/2) in the mean number of atoms per lattice site n, and standard quantum limit scaling M^(-1/2) in the number of lattice sites M. In our analysis, we require M >> 1 and for realistic systems n is small, and therefore the scaling in total atom number N = nM is below the Heisenberg limit; nevertheless, measurements testing the scaling behaviors for interaction-based quantum metrologies should be possible in this system., Comment: Comments welcome

We present a stochastic theory for the nonequilibrium dynamics of charges moving in a quantum scalar field based on the worldline influence functional and the close-time-path (CTP or in-in) coarse-grained effective action method. We summarize (1) the steps leading to a derivation of a modified Abraham-Lorentz-Dirac equation whose solutions describe a causal semiclassical theory free of runaway solutions and without pre-acceleration patholigies, and (2) the transformation to a stochastic effective action which generates Abraham-Lorentz-Dirac-Langevin equations depicting the fluctuations of a particle's worldline around its semiclassical trajectory. We point out the misconceptions in trying to directly relate radiation reaction to vacuum fluctuations, and discuss how, in the framework that we have developed, an array of phenomena, from classical radiation and radiation reaction to the Unruh effect, are interrelated to each other as manifestations at the classical, stochastic and quantum levels. Using this method we give a derivation of the Unruh effect for the spacetime worldline coordinates of an accelerating charge. Our stochastic particle-field model, which was inspired by earlier work in cosmological backreaction, can be used as an analog to the black hole backreaction problem describing the stochastic dynamics of a black hole event horizon., Comment: Invited talk given by BLH at the International Assembly on Relativistic Dynamics (IARD), June 2004, Saas Fee, Switzerland. 19 pages, 1 figure

Prototype Josephson-junction based qubit coherence times are too short for quantum computing. Recent experiments probing superconducting phase qubits have revealed previously unseen fine splittings in the transition energy spectra. These splittings have been attributed to new microscopic degrees of freedom (microresonators), a previously unknown source of decoherence. We show that macroscopic resonant tunneling in the extremely asymmetric double well potential of the phase qubit can have observational consequences that are strikingly similar to the observed data., Comment: 4 pages (3 figures); accepted version

We study the quantum mechanical behavior of a macroscopic, three-body, superconducting circuit. Microwave spectroscopy on our system, a resonator coupling two large Josephson junctions, produced complex energy spectra well explained by quantum theory over a large frequency range. By tuning each junction separately into resonance with the resonator, we first observe strong coupling between each junction and the resonator. Bringing both junctions together into resonance with the resonator, we find spectroscopic evidence for entanglement between all three degrees of freedom and suggest a new method for controllable coupling of distant qubits, a key step toward quantum computation., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures

This is a progress report on our current work on moving charges, detectors, and moving mirrors in a quantum field treated in a fully relativistic way via the Feynman-Vernon influence functional method, which preserves maximal quantum coherence of the system with self-consistent back-reaction from the field., Comment: To appear in the proceedings of the Third International Symposium on Quantum Field Theory Under the Influence of External Conditions, Oklahoma City, Sept. 2003. Proceedings edited by Kimball Milton (Rinton Press, 2004}

Based on a quantum analysis of two capacitively coupled current-biased Josephson junctions, we propose two fundamental two-qubit quantum logic gates. Each of these gates, when supplemented by single-qubit operations, is sufficient for universal quantum computation. Numerical solutions of the time-dependent Schroedinger equation demonstrate that these operations can be performed with good fidelity., Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, revised for publication

We show that two capacitively-coupled Josephson junctions, in the quantum limit, form a simple coupled qubit system with effective coupling controlled by the junction bias currents. We compute numerically the energy levels and wave functions for the system, and show how these may be tuned to make optimal qubits. The dependence of the energy levels on the parameters can be measured spectroscopically, providing an important experimental test for the presence of entangled multiqubit states in Josephson-junction based circuits., Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures. Slightly Revised and final accepted version

We apply the open systems concept and the influence functional formalism introduced in Paper I to establish a stochastic theory of relativistic moving spinless particles in a quantum scalar field. The stochastic regime resting between the quantum and semi-classical captures the statistical mechanical attributes of the full theory. Applying the particle-centric world-line quantization formulation to the quantum field theory of scalar QED we derive a time-dependent (scalar) Abraham-Lorentz-Dirac (ALD) equation and show that it is the correct semiclassical limit for nonlinear particle-field systems without the need of making the dipole or non-relativistic approximations. Progressing to the stochastic regime, we derive multiparticle ALD-Langevin equations for nonlinearly coupled particle-field systems. With these equations we show how to address time-dependent dissipation/noise/renormalization in the semiclassical and stochastic limits of QED. We clarify the the relation of radiation reaction, quantum dissipation and vacuum fluctuations and the role that initial conditions may play in producing non-Lorentz invariant noise. We emphasize the fundamental role of decoherence in reaching the semiclassical limit, which also suggests the correct way to think about the issues of runaway solutions and preacceleration from the presence of third derivative terms in the ALD equation. We show that the semiclassical self-consistent solutions obtained in this way are ``paradox'' and pathology free both technically and conceptually. This self-consistent treatment serves as a new platform for investigations into problems related to relativistic moving charges., Comment: RevTex; 20 pages, 3 figures, Replaced version has corrected typos, slightly modified derivation, improved discussion including new section with comparisons to related work, and expanded references

We treat a relativistically moving particle interacting with a quantum field from an open system viewpoint of quantum field theory by the method of influence functionals or closed-time-path coarse-grained effective actions. The particle trajectory is not prescribed but is determined by the backreaction of the quantum field in a self-consistent way. Coarse-graining the quantum field imparts stochastic behavior in the particle trajectory. The formalism is set up here as a precursor to a first principles derivation of the Abraham-Lorentz-Dirac (ALD) equation from quantum field theory as the correct equation of motion valid in the semiclassical limit. This approach also discerns classical radiation reaction from quantum dissipation in the motion of a charged particle; only the latter is related to vacuum fluctuations in the quantum field by a fluctuation-dissipation relation, which we show to exist for nonequilibrim processes under this type of nonlinear coupling. This formalism leads naturally to a set of Langevin equations associated with a generalized ALD equation. These multiparticle stochastic differential equations feature local dissipation (for massless quantum fields), nonlocal particle-particle interactions, multiplicative noise, and nonlocal particle-particle correlations, interrelated in ways characteristic of nonlinear theories, through generalized fluctuation-dissipation relations., Comment: RevTex: 32 pages, 3 figures. Replaced version has corrected typos, slightly modified derivation, and improved discussion including new section with comparisons to related work

We present a stochastic theory of charges moving in an electromagnetic field using nonequilibrium quantum field theory. We give a first principles' derivation of the Abraham-Lorentz-Dirac-Langevin equation which depicts the quantum expectation value for a particle's trajectory and its stochastic fluctuations by combining the worldline path integral quantization with the Feynman-Vernon influence functional or closed-time-path effective action methods. At lowest order, the equations of motion are approximated by a stochastic Lorentz-Dirac equation., Comment: Talk given by PRJ at Capri Workshop on Quantum Aspects of Beam Physics, Oct. 2000. 9 pages, no figures

We discuss some common misconceptions in Unruh effect and Unruh radiation for the cases of linear and circular uniform acceleration of a charged particle or detector moving in a quantum field. We point to the need to go beyond Unruh effect and develop a new theoretical framework for treating the stochastic dynamics of particles interacting with quantum fields under more general nonequilibrium conditions. This framework has been established in recent years using the influence functional formalism and applied to relativistically moving charged particles. Only with nonequilibrium concepts and methodology applied to particle-field interaction can one grasp the full complexity of the problems of beam physics under more realistic conditions, from electrons and heavy ions to coherent atoms., Comment: Invited talk given by BLH at the Capri Workshop on Quantum Aspects of Beam Physics, Oct. 2000. 8 pages, no figures