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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 1: Mikromechanische Oszillatoren

Q 1.2: Vortrag

Montag, 2. März 2009, 11:00–11:15, ESA-A

Resolved-sideband laser cooling and measurement of a micromechanical oscillator close to the quantum limit — •Albert Schliesser¹, Remi Riviere¹, Georg Anetsberger¹, Olivier Arcizet¹, and Tobias Kippenberg^1,2 — ¹Max-Planck-Institute of Quantum Optics, Garching, Germany — ²Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

The observation of quantum effects in the mechanics of mesoscale objects has been of interest since the inception of quantum mechanics. It would provide new insights in the quantum-classical boundary, opportunities for experimental investigation of the postulates of quantum theory of measurements, and access to the regime of nonclassical states of mechanical motion. Here we closely approach the quantum regime of a mechanical oscillator, discernable by bare eye, and more than three orders of magnitude more massive than typical nanomechanical resonators used in prior work: A silica toroidal optical microcavity, which simultaneously supports a high-quality mechanical radial breathing mode (RBM). Using modest cryogenic pre-cooling to 1.65K, we apply resolved-sideband laser cooling to the RBM and reduce its thermal occupation to 63± 20 quanta. Simultaneously, highly sensitive optical interferometric measurements allow approaching the standard quantum limit to within a factor of 5±1.5. Taking measurement backaction into account, this represents the closest approach to the Heisenberg uncertainty relation for continuous position measurements yet demonstrated for mesoscopic oscillators.