Particle-wave duality has allowed physicists to establish atomic interferometers as celebrated complements to their optical counterparts in a broad range of quantum devices. In particular, interactions give rise to multiparticle correlations unavailable in linear interferometers. Here, we show that interactions lead to dynamical quantum phase transitions (DQPTs) between NOON states in an atomic interferometer. These transition points result from zeros of the Loschmidt echo, which approach the real axis of the complex time plane in the large-particle-number limit, and signify pair condensates, another type of exotic quantum states featured with prevailing two-body correlations. Such DQPTs thus provide us with a new angle to understand many-body states emergent from quantum nonequilibrium dynamics. Our work also suggests interacting atomic interferometers as a new tool for creating highly entangled states to beat the standard quantum limit.

• Received 25 July 2018
• Revised 11 February 2020
• Accepted 9 March 2020

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.101.043605