Work

Atomic Josephson parametric amplifier

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: We study the dynamics of a driven atomic Josephson junction that we propose as a parametric amplifier. By periodically modulating the position of the barrier, we induce a small current across the junction, serving as our input signal. The pump field is implemented by modulating the barrier height at twice the Josephson plasma frequency. The resulting dynamics exhibit parametric amplification of the signal through nonlinear mixing between the signal and pump fields, which is encoded in a specific microscopic pattern of density waves and phase excitations that can be addressed within the experimental cold-atom capabilities. This work paves the way for tunable amplifiers in atomtronic circuits, with potential applications in several fields including precision measurements and quantum information processing. At the same time, our analysis provides the microscopic explanation of the general notion of parametric amplification occurring in nonlinear coherent devices.

Source: Physical Review Research

DOI: 10.1103/7s1n-ddp9

Authors: Vijay Pal Singh, Luigi Amico, Ludwig Mathey

Institutions: Technology Innovation Institute, University of Catania, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Catania, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging

Language: English

Topic: Cold Atom Physics and Bose-Einstein Condensates

Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,625

Funders: European Commission, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, European Regional Development Fund