What Experimental Techniques Can Enhance Quantum State Preparation?

[JordanD]

Hello everyone,

We come to the end of another semester and its presentation time. I have chosen to discuss how to prepare different quantum mechanical systems for various applications.

So my question for you guys is, are there any interesting experimental techniques I should look into. I am familiar with laser cooling already seeing as it is what I do in my lab already, but I know there other techniques out there. My quantum mechanical world view (experimentally) is pretty narrow right now and I am looking to broaden that knowledge and appreciation.

A cursory google search didn't turn up much that was useful without parsing through paper upon paper. I am just looking for general techniques and then I can go search for specifics

In case its important I am in graduate school and the talk is supposed to be 20 minutes not including questions.

Thanks everyone!

 

[hilbert2]

For a relatively simple example, Google "monochromatic electron beam" to find out how to make an electron beam where all the particles have approximately the same DeBroglie wavelength (therefore being similar to the plane wave solutions of a free particle Schrödinger equation).

 

[vanhees71]

A very good discussion on state determination and state preparation can be found in Ballentine's QT textbook.