Quantum Optomechanics
Research on levitated nanoparticles cooled toward their motional ground state.
A side view of the high vacuum chamber where the silica particle is levitated.
Top down view of the experimental setup showing the laser entry and detection ports.
The custom alignment system used to stabilize the laser trapping beam.
An image of the actual 100nm silica particle held in the optical trap.
Detailed schematic diagram of the optical path and detection bridge.
A 100nm silica particle is levitated by a 1064nm laser within a high vacuum environment. The goal is to cool the motional state toward its ground level. We use two Electro Optic Modulators to control beam polarization and coupled vibrational modes. A separate 532nm probe beam passes through a photodiode bridge to record motion signals. I then convert voltage data into phonon counts to observe Rabi oscillations. This system serves as a macroscopic analog for a quantum bit.
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