We discuss a possible experimental scheme for the implementation of a quantum walk. The scheme is based on the passage of an atom inside a high-$Q$ cavity. The chirality is characterized by the atomic states and the displacement is characterized by the photon number inside the cavity. The quantum steps are described by appropriate interactions with a sequence of classical and quantized cavity fields.

• Received 24 February 2004

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.70.032304