Quantum metrology with Bloch oscillations in Floquet phase space

Quantum particles performing Bloch oscillations in a spatially periodic potential can be used as a very accurate detector of constant forces. We find that similar oscillations that can appear in the Floquet phase space of a quantum particle subjected to periodic temporal driving, even in the absence of a periodic lattice potential, can likewise be exploited as detectors. Compared with their spatial Bloch analog, however, the Floquet-Bloch oscillations provide significant added flexibility and open the way to a broad range of precision metrology applications. We illustrate this property with the examples of a tachometer and a magnetometer.

Automated summary

Quantum particles performing Bloch oscillations in a spatially periodic potential can be used as accurate detectors of constant forces. Floquet-Bloch oscillations in the absence of a periodic lattice potential provide added flexibility and have various precision metrology applications, such as tachometers and magnetometers.