Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:0805.3735 · Physical Review Letters

Coupling Nanomechanical Cantilevers to Dipolar Molecules

Swati Singh, Mishkatul Bhattacharya, Omjyoti Dutta, Pierre Meystre

Published Dec 24, 2008• 38 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We investigate the coupling of a nanomechanical oscillator in the quantum regime with molecular (electric) dipoles. We find theoretically that the cantilever can produce single-mode squeezing of the center-of-mass motion of an isolated trapped molecule and two-mode squeezing of the phonons of an array of molecules. This work opens up the possibility of manipulating dipolar crystals, which have been recently proposed as quantum memory, and more generally, is indicative of the promise of nanoscale cantilevers for the quantum detection and control of atomic and molecular systems.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.101.263603

Related papers

Quantum control of ultracold AMO systems by nanomechanical resonators

Mishkatul Bhattacharya, Omjyoti Dutta, Swati Singh +1 more

Laser-cooled nanomechanical oscillators are promising new tools to manipulate and control ultracold atomic and molecular samples. As an illustration, we show how they can be exploited to entangle and squeeze a lattice of dipolar molecules.

Frontiers in Optics•Jan 1, 2008•0 citations

Generation of mechanical squeezing via magnetic dipoles on cantilevers

Hyojun Seok, Lukas F. Buchmann, Swati Singh +2 more

A scheme to squeeze the center-of-mass motional quadratures of a quantum mechanical oscillator below its standard quantum limit is proposed and analyzed theoretically. It relies on the dipole-dipole coupling between a magnetic dipole mounted on the tip of a cantilever to equally oriented dipoles located on a mesoscopic tuning fork. We also investigate the influence of several sources of noise on the achievable squeezing, including classical noise in the driving fork and the clamping noise in the oscillator. A detection of the state of the cantilever based on state transfer to a light field is considered. We investigate possible limitations of that scheme.

arXiv:1110.4935•Physical Review A•Mar 20, 2012•13 citations

Molecular dipolar crystals as high-fidelity quantum memory for hybrid quantum computing

Peter Rabl, P. Zoller

We study collective excitations of rotational and spin states of an ensemble of polar molecules, which are prepared in a dipolar crystalline phase, as a candidate for a high-fidelity quantum memory. While dipolar crystals are formed in the high-density limit of cold clouds of polar molecules under one- and two-dimensional trapping conditions, the crystalline structure protects the molecular qubits from detrimental effects of short-range collisions. We calculate the lifetime of the quantum memory by identifying the dominant decoherence mechanisms, and estimate their effects on gate operations, when a molecular ensemble qubit is transferred to a superconducting strip line cavity (circuit QED). In the case of rotational excitations coupled by dipole-dipole interactions we identify phonons as the main limitation of the lifetime of qubits. We study specific setups and conditions, where the coupling to the phonon modes is minimized. Detailed results are presented for a one-dimensional dipolar chain.

arXiv:0706.3051•Physical Review A•Oct 4, 2007•102 citations

Bose-Einstein Condensate Coupled to a Nanomechanical Resonator on an Atom Chip

Philipp Treutlein, David Hunger, Stephan Camerer +2 more

We theoretically study the coupling of Bose-Einstein condensed atoms to the mechanical oscillations of a nanoscale cantilever with a magnetic tip. This is an experimentally viable hybrid quantum system which allows one to explore the interface of quantum optics and condensed matter physics. We propose an experiment where easily detectable atomic spin flips are induced by the cantilever motion. This can be used to probe thermal oscillations of the cantilever with the atoms. At low cantilever temperatures, as realized in recent experiments, the backaction of the atoms onto the cantilever is significant and the system represents a mechanical analog of cavity quantum electrodynamics. With high but realistic cantilever quality factors, the strong coupling regime can be reached, either with single atoms or collectively with Bose-Einstein condensates. We discuss an implementation on an atom chip.

arXiv:quant-ph/0703199•Physical Review Letters•Oct 3, 2007•207 citations

Dipole-Phonon Quantum Logic with Trapped Polar Molecular Ions

Wesley C. Campbell, Eric R. Hudson

The interaction between the electric dipole moment of a trapped molecular ion and the phonon modes of the confined Coulomb crystal couples the orientation of the molecule to its motion. We consider the practical feasibility of harnessing this interaction to initialize, process, and read out quantum information encoded in molecular ion qubits without ever optically illuminating the molecules. We present two schemes wherein a molecular ion can be entangled with a cotrapped atomic ion qubit, providing, among other things, a means for molecular state preparation and measurement. We also show that virtual phonon exchange can significantly boost the range of the intermolecular dipole-dipole interaction, allowing strong coupling between widely separated molecular ion qubits.

arXiv:1909.02668•Physical Review Letters•Sep 14, 2020•31 citations

Ultracold atoms coupled to micro- and nanomechanical oscillators: Towards hybrid quantum systems

David Hunger, Stephan Camerer, Theodor W. Hänsch +8 more

This work investigates different coupling mechanisms between ultracold atoms and mechanical oscillators. In a first experiment, atom-surface force is used to couple the vibrations of a mechanical cantilever to the motion of a Bose-Einstein condensate in a magnetic microtrap on a chip. The atoms are trapped at sub-micrometer distance from the cantilever surface. Coupling is used to read out the cantilever vibrations with the atoms. Coupling via surface forces could be employed to couple atoms to molecular-scale oscillators such as carbon nanotubes. In a second experiment, coupling via a 1D optical lattice that is formed by a laser beam retroreflected from the cantilever tip. The optical lattice serves as a transfer rod which couples vibrations of the cantilever to the atoms and vice versa.

Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe & European Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/Europe-EQEC)•Jun 1, 2009•0 citations
We investigate the coupling of a nanomechanical oscillator in the quantum regime with molecular (electric) dipoles. We find theoretically that the cantilever can produce single-mode squeezing of the center-of-mass motion of an isolated trapped molecule and two-mode squeezing of the phonons of an array of molecules. This work opens up the possibility of manipulating dipolar crystals, which have been recently proposed as quantum memory, and more generally, is indicative of the promise of nanoscale cantilevers for the quantum detection and control of atomic and molecular systems.
A scheme to squeeze the center-of-mass motional quadratures of a quantum mechanical oscillator below its standard quantum limit is proposed and analyzed theoretically. It relies on the dipole-dipole coupling between a magnetic dipole mounted on the tip of a cantilever to equally oriented dipoles located on a mesoscopic tuning fork. We also investigate the influence of several sources of noise on the achievable squeezing, including classical noise in the driving fork and the clamping noise in the oscillator. A detection of the state of the cantilever based on state transfer to a light field is considered. We investigate possible limitations of that scheme.
We study collective excitations of rotational and spin states of an ensemble of polar molecules, which are prepared in a dipolar crystalline phase, as a candidate for a high-fidelity quantum memory. While dipolar crystals are formed in the high-density limit of cold clouds of polar molecules under one- and two-dimensional trapping conditions, the crystalline structure protects the molecular qubits from detrimental effects of short-range collisions. We calculate the lifetime of the quantum memory by identifying the dominant decoherence mechanisms, and estimate their effects on gate operations, when a molecular ensemble qubit is transferred to a superconducting strip line cavity (circuit QED). In the case of rotational excitations coupled by dipole-dipole interactions we identify phonons as the main limitation of the lifetime of qubits. We study specific setups and conditions, where the coupling to the phonon modes is minimized. Detailed results are presented for a one-dimensional dipolar chain.
We theoretically study the coupling of Bose-Einstein condensed atoms to the mechanical oscillations of a nanoscale cantilever with a magnetic tip. This is an experimentally viable hybrid quantum system which allows one to explore the interface of quantum optics and condensed matter physics. We propose an experiment where easily detectable atomic spin flips are induced by the cantilever motion. This can be used to probe thermal oscillations of the cantilever with the atoms. At low cantilever temperatures, as realized in recent experiments, the backaction of the atoms onto the cantilever is significant and the system represents a mechanical analog of cavity quantum electrodynamics. With high but realistic cantilever quality factors, the strong coupling regime can be reached, either with single atoms or collectively with Bose-Einstein condensates. We discuss an implementation on an atom chip.
The interaction between the electric dipole moment of a trapped molecular ion and the phonon modes of the confined Coulomb crystal couples the orientation of the molecule to its motion. We consider the practical feasibility of harnessing this interaction to initialize, process, and read out quantum information encoded in molecular ion qubits without ever optically illuminating the molecules. We present two schemes wherein a molecular ion can be entangled with a cotrapped atomic ion qubit, providing, among other things, a means for molecular state preparation and measurement. We also show that virtual phonon exchange can significantly boost the range of the intermolecular dipole-dipole interaction, allowing strong coupling between widely separated molecular ion qubits.
This work investigates different coupling mechanisms between ultracold atoms and mechanical oscillators. In a first experiment, atom-surface force is used to couple the vibrations of a mechanical cantilever to the motion of a Bose-Einstein condensate in a magnetic microtrap on a chip. The atoms are trapped at sub-micrometer distance from the cantilever surface. Coupling is used to read out the cantilever vibrations with the atoms. Coupling via surface forces could be employed to couple atoms to molecular-scale oscillators such as carbon nanotubes. In a second experiment, coupling via a 1D optical lattice that is formed by a laser beam retroreflected from the cantilever tip. The optical lattice serves as a transfer rod which couples vibrations of the cantilever to the atoms and vice versa.