title: Robust entanglement through macroscopic quantum jumps.
abstract: We propose an entanglement generation scheme that requires neither the coherent evolution of a quantum system nor the detection of single photons. Instead, the desired state is heralded by a macroscopic quantum jump. Macroscopic quantum jumps manifest themselves as a random telegraph signal with long intervals of intense fluorescence (light periods) interrupted by the complete absence of photons (dark periods). Here we show that a system of two atoms trapped inside an optical cavity can be designed such that a dark period prepares the atoms in a maximally entangled ground state. Achieving fidelities above 0.9 is possible even when the single-atom cooperativity parameter is as low as 10 and when using a photon detector with an efficiency as low as eta=0.2.
authors.affiliation: Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2BZ, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Metz
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trupke
authors.forename: Almut
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beige