Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rainer Kaltenbaek (FMF): Creating Schrödinger cat states and building quantum networks

I will present an overview of the two main research directions pursued in the Laboratory for Quantum Optics and Quantum Foundations at FMF. First, I will discuss our efforts toward building quantum networks in Slovenia, including the design and construction of narrow-band entanglement sources aimed at enabling quantum repeaters - the key missing element for realizing global quantum networks. Second, I will introduce two novel approaches for creating superpositions of the center-of-mass position of mesoscopic test particles. These methods offer new possibilities for probing the validity of quantum physics in systems of high mass and complexity. For one of these approaches, I will present new experimental results based on an optical simulation of superposition generation via targeted decoherence. While decoherence is typically regarded as the principal obstacle to maintaining large-scale quantum states, our findings show that it can instead be harnessed as a resource to create massive superpositions.
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