Hannover 2013 – scientific programme

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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 7: Ultra-cold atoms, ions and BEC I (with A)

Q 7.5: Talk

Monday, March 18, 2013, 12:15–12:30, B 305

Measuring and controlling quantum transport of heat in trapped-ion crystals — Alejandro Bermudez, •Martin Bruderer, and Martin B Plenio — Institut für Theoretische Physik, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, Universität Ulm, 89069 Ulm, Germany

Measuring heat flow through nanoscale systems poses formidable practical difficulties as there is no 'ampere meter' for heat. We propose to overcome this problem by realizing heat transport through a linear chain of trapped ions. Steady laser cooling of the chain edges to different temperatures induces a current of local vibrations (vibrons) across the bulk ions. We show how to efficiently measure and control this heat current (including fluctuations) by coupling vibrons to internal ion states, which are easily manipulated. That makes ion crystals an ideal tool for studying thermal quantum transport and, in particular, gives access to the expectedly large fluctuations in the bosonic current.