Nonequilibrium entanglement between levitated masses under optimal control

Abstract

We present a protocol that maximizes unconditional entanglement generation between two masses interacting directly through $1/r^n$ potential. The protocol combines optimal quantum control of continuously measured masses with their non-equilibrium dynamics, driven by a time-dependent interaction strength. Applied to a pair of optically trapped sub-micron particles coupled via electrostatic interaction, our protocol enables unconditional entanglement generation at the fundamental limit of the conditional state and with an order of magnitude smaller interaction between the masses compared to the existing steady-state approaches.