Cosmology and Quantum Simulation – COSQUA

We propose an investigation of phonon entanglement in a periodically modulated Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). This modulation can give rise to correlated phonons and by analogy with electrodynamics, it is often referred to as the dynamical Casimir effect. The effect also has a deep analogy with the process of particle creation in the early universe, where it is called pre-heating. Work by the theoretical team of this partnership shows that a modulated BEC produces entangled phonon pairs, but that because of dissipation processes, the entanglement is only observable under specific circumstances and for a short time. We propose as series of experiments using a BEC and single atom detection to explore this effect to clearly identify an entangled state. We will thus be able to simulate a complex system, the early universe, about which we are not only unable to make detailed calculations, but one which is experimentally only partially accessible to observations.