Estimation of a quantum interaction parameter using weak measurements: Theory and experiment

Holger F. Hofmann (1) , Michael E. Goggin (2) , Marcelo P. Almeida (3) , Marco Barbieri (4)

1 Graduate School of Advanced Science of Matter
2 Physics Department
3 ARC Centre for Engineered Quantum Systems
4 Laboratoire Charles Fabry / Optique Quantique

We investigate the estimation of a small interaction parameter from the outcomes of weak quantum measurements implemented by the interaction. The relation of weak values and sensitivity is explained and the different contributions of postselected results are identified using experimental data. The results show how weak values can be used to control the distribution of input state sensitivity between different postselected outcomes.

Domains: Physics [physics]; Quantum Physics [quant-ph]; Physics [physics]; Physics [physics]; Optics [physics.optics]

Holger F. Hofmann, Michael E. Goggin, Marcelo P. Almeida, Marco Barbieri. Estimation of a quantum interaction parameter using weak measurements: Theory and experiment. Physical Review A : Atomic, molecular, and optical physics, 2012, 86 (4), pp.040102. ⟨10.1103/PhysRevA.86.040102⟩. ⟨hal-00623098⟩