Freiburg 2024 – scientific programme
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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik
Q 15: Optomechanics
Q 15.3: Talk
Tuesday, March 12, 2024, 11:45–12:00, HS 1015
The First Levitated Optomechanics Experiment in Space — Jack Homans1, Govindarajan Prakash2, Chris Bridges3, Peter Nisbet-Jones4, Elliot Simcox1, Simeon Modre1, Tiberius Georgescu1, •Christian Vogt2,5, and Hendrik Ulbricht1 — 1School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK — 2ZARM, Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity, Uni Bremen — 3Surrey Space Centre, OBDH Group, University of Surrey, Guildford, U.K. — 4Twin Paradox Labs, London, U.K. — 5BIAS, Institute of Applied Beam Technology, Bremen, Germany
Optically levitated nanospheres hold great promises for investigations of quantum behavior of large masses. In order to observe these, the particles must be isolated from sources of decoherence e.g. collisions with gas molecules or photons. The latter can hardly be suppressed in optical traps. One way to circumvent this problem is to switch off the trap and allow for a free evolution of the particles' wave packet as it can be done in space. A first demonstrator for this technology will be launched by the end of 2024 with the reentry capsule Nyx, by the company TEC. This talk we will focus on our payload design, the given boundary conditions and our mission goals.
Keywords: Levitated; Optomechanics; Space