Monday, 19th June 2017
10:00 a.m.
Seminarraum D326, Institute of Quantum Optics, Welfenfgarten 1, 30167 Hannover
Levitated optomechanical systems are a fascinating addition to the world of optically-controlled mechanical resonators. It is predicted that nanoparticles can be cooled to their c.o.m. ground state via the interaction with an optical cavity. By freeing the oscillator from clamping forces the quality factor is dramatically increased, and dissipation and decoherence mechanisms are greatly reduced, leading to the potential to produce long-lived mechanical quantum states. Since the particle is free, it should be possible to produce macroscopically spread quantum superpositions, allowing tests of collapse models and any mass limit of quantum physics.In this presentation, I will cover techniques required to work with levitated nanoparticles in ultra-high vacuum, such as the combination of optical cavities and Paul traps, and the cooling of nanoparticles transiting through an optical potential. I will consider the cooling and control of rotational degrees of freedom of tailored nanorods, and the use of fabricated microcavities to push towards the quantum regime.
