Hannover 2013 – scientific programme

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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 35: Poster I

Q 35.90: Poster

Tuesday, March 19, 2013, 16:00–18:30, Empore Lichthof

Cavity cooling and trapping of levitated nanospheres — •Florian Blaser, Nikolai Kiesel, Uros Delic, David Grass, Rainer Kaltenbaek, and Markus Aspelmeyer — Vienna Center for Quantum Science and Technology (VCQ), Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, A-1090 Vienna, Austria

Levitated optomechanical systems have been recently put forward [1] as test systems in fundamental quantum experiments [2]. A necessary ingredient of these experiments is cooling of the center-of-mass motion of the levitated object to the ground state. We report on the first experimental demonstration of cavity cooling of levitated nanospheres. In our experiment, a silica nanosphere of 10¹⁰ amu is trapped in a Fabry-Perot cavity. The sphere’s center-of-mass motion is linearly coupled to one of the modes of the cavity, allowing for sideband-resolved optomechanical cooling. Cooling rates of up to 26 kHz and optomechanical interaction close to the strong coupling regime have been observed. Currently, ultra-high Q operation at low pressures is inhibited by particle loss. We will discuss a transverse feedback cooling that will lift this limitation and pave the way towards ground state cooling.

[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)