Quantum jump simulation in three-level systems using photonic Gaussian modes

Multi-level quantum systems loose coherence due to quantum jumps or spontaneous decay between their internal levels. Here we propose a way to simulate experimentally a three-level system under quantum jump using a three-mode photonic system. We simulated three different dynamics of spontaneous decay in a three-level atomic system: cascade decay, $Λ$ decay and $V$ decay. With an attenuated light coherent source at the photon level, we prepared a photonic qutrit state encoded in the parallel path of Gaussian modes. By exploring periodical phase modulation in spatial light modulator, the corresponding dynamical maps for quantum jumps were implemented in terms of the Kraus operator decomposition. With image measurements with an intensified charged-coupled device (ICCD) camera we obtain the diagonal elements of the initial state density matrix. Measuring the image and interference patterns of the evolved qutrit state we verified experimentally the variation of the populations and the decoherence effects caused by the quantum jumps in the three-level system for the three-level decay configurations.

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