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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 8: Micromechanic oscillators II

Q 8.4: Talk

Monday, March 18, 2013, 14:45–15:00, F 142

Cavity Optomechanics with levitating Nanospheres — •Nikolai Kiesel, Florian Blaser, Uros Delic, David Grass, Rainer Kaltenbaek, and Markus Aspelmeyer — Vienna Center for Quantum Science and Technology (VCQ), Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria

Optically trapped nanospheres have been proposed as mechanical resonators for cavity optomechanics with great potential [1]: This approach promises, amongst others, optomechanical quantum information protocols at room temperature and fundamental quantum experiments with objects of up to 10¹⁰ amu [2]. These ideas require cavity optomechanical cooling and control of the nanospheres centre-of-mass motion. However, cavity cooling of such optically trapped and internally hot objects without internal level structure has not been experimentally achieved so far.

We present the experimental demonstration of a levitated nanosphere coupled to a high-finesse cavity and optomechanical readout and cooling of its center-of-mass motion.

Next steps towards operation in UHV and implementation of levitated ultra-high quality mechanical resonators in optical cavities will be dicussed.

[1] Romero-Isart O. et al., NJP 12, 33015 (2010), Chang D. et al. PNAS 107, 0912969107, (2009), Barker P, et al., PRA 81, 023826 (2010). [2] Romero-Isart, O et al., PRL, 107, 020405 (2011), Romero-Isart, O., PRA 84, 5 (2011), Kaltenbaek, R. et al., MAQRO, Exp. Astro., 1-42 (2012)