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arXiv:1906.02997 · Journal of the Optical Society of America B

Critical ambient pressure and critical cooling rate in optomechanics of electromagnetically levitated nanoparticles

Amir M. Jazayeri

Published Oct 26, 2021• 3 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

The concept of critical ambient pressure is introduced in this paper. The particle escapes from its trap when the ambient pressure becomes comparable with or smaller than a critical value, even if the particle motion is cooled by one of the feedback cooling (or cavity cooling) schemes realized so far. The critical ambient pressure may be so small that it is not a limiting factor in ground-state cooling, but critical feedback cooling rates, which are also introduced in this paper, are limiting factors. The particle escapes from its trap if any of the feedback cooling rates (corresponding to the components of the particle motion) becomes comparable with or larger than its critical value. The critical feedback cooling rate is different from the well-known manifestation of the measurement noise. The critical feedback cooling rate corresponding to a certain component of the particle motion is usually smaller than the optimum feedback cooling rate at which the standard quantum limit happens, unless that component is cooled by the Coulomb force (instead of the optical gradient force). In addition, given that the measurement noise for the z component of the particle motion is smaller than the measurement noises for the other two components (assuming that the beam illuminating the particle for photodetection propagates parallel to the z axis), the feedback scheme in which the z component of the particle motion is cooled by the Coulomb force has the best performance. This conclusion is in agreement with the experimental results published after writing the first version of this paper. The dependence of the critical ambient pressure, the critical feedback cooling rates, and the minimum achievable mean phonon numbers on the parameters of the system is derived in this paper, and can be verified experimentally. The insights into and the subtle points about the electromagnetic (EM) force (including the gradient force, radiation pressure, and recoil force), the EM force fluctuations, and the measurement noise presented in this paper are all of theoretical and practical importance, and might be useful in many systems besides those examined in this paper.

DOI
10.1364/josab.439655

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The concept of critical ambient pressure is introduced in this paper. The particle escapes from its trap when the ambient pressure becomes comparable with or smaller than a critical value, even if the particle motion is cooled by one of the feedback cooling (or cavity cooling) schemes realized so far. The critical ambient pressure may be so small that it is not a limiting factor in ground-state cooling, but critical feedback cooling rates, which are also introduced in this paper, are limiting factors. The particle escapes from its trap if any of the feedback cooling rates (corresponding to the components of the particle motion) becomes comparable with or larger than its critical value. The critical feedback cooling rate is different from the well-known manifestation of the measurement noise. The critical feedback cooling rate corresponding to a certain component of the particle motion is usually smaller than the optimum feedback cooling rate at which the standard quantum limit happens, unless that component is cooled by the Coulomb force (instead of the optical gradient force). In addition, given that the measurement noise for the z component of the particle motion is smaller than the measurement noises for the other two components (assuming that the beam illuminating the particle for photodetection propagates parallel to the z axis), the feedback scheme in which the z component of the particle motion is cooled by the Coulomb force has the best performance. This conclusion is in agreement with the experimental results published after writing the first version of this paper. The dependence of the critical ambient pressure, the critical feedback cooling rates, and the minimum achievable mean phonon numbers on the parameters of the system is derived in this paper, and can be verified experimentally. The insights into and the subtle points about the electromagnetic (EM) force (including the gradient force, radiation pressure, and recoil force), the EM force fluctuations, and the measurement noise presented in this paper are all of theoretical and practical importance, and might be useful in many systems besides those examined in this paper.
We demonstrate optical levitation and feedback cooling of a silica nanoparticle (radius = 78~nm) trapped within a radial vector beam (RVB) in high vacuum. Radial vector beams, when focused by a high-NA lens, produce a smaller focal spot than conventional Gaussian beams, yielding tighter optical potentials and potentially reduced photon-recoil heating rates. A vortex wave plate was used to generate the RVB using an aspheric lens (NA = 0.77) to form the trap. Cold-damping feedback was used to cool the center of mass motion in the radial and axial trap directions to temperatures in the mK range. At higher temperatures and pressures, additional trap frequencies arising from the nonlinear RVB optical potential are observed. This demonstration is a step toward exploiting structured light for levitated quantum optomechanics where these traps can be used to suppress bulk and motional heating.
Optically trapped nanoparticles have recently emerged as exciting candidates for tests of quantum mechanics at the macroscale and as versatile platforms for ultrasensitive metrology. Recent experiments have demonstrated parametric feedback cooling, nonequilibrium physics, and temperature detection, all in the classical regime. Here we provide the first quantum model for trapped nanoparticle cooling and force sensing. In contrast to existing theories, our work indicates that the nanomechanical ground state may be prepared without using an optical resonator; that the cooling mechanism corresponds to nonlinear friction; and that the energy loss during cooling is nonexponential in time. Our results show excellent agreement with experimental data in the classical limit, and constitute an underlying theoretical framework for experiments aiming at ground state preparation. Our theory also addresses the optimization of, and the fundamental quantum limit to, force sensing, thus providing theoretical direction to ongoing searches for ultra-weak forces using levitated nanoparticles.
We develop the theory describing the quantum coupled dynamics of the center-of-mass motion of a nanoparticle and an ensemble of ions co-trapped in a dual-frequency linear Paul trap. We first derive analytical expressions for the motional frequencies and classical trajectories of both nanoparticle and ions. We then derive a quantum master equation for the ion-nanoparticle system and quantify the sympathetic cooling of the nanoparticle motion enabled by its Coulomb coupling to a continuously Doppler-cooled ion. We predict that motional cooling down to sub-kelvin temperatures is achievable in state-of-the-art experiments even in the absence of motional feedback and in the presence of micromotion. We then extend our analysis to an ensemble of NNN ions, predicting a linear increase of the cooling rate as a function of NNN and motional cooling of the nanoparticle down to tenths of millikelvin in current experimental platforms. Our work establishes the theoretical toolbox needed to explore the ion-assisted preparation of non-Gaussian motional states of levitated nanoparticles.
Abstract Tests of quantum mechanics on a macroscopic scale require extreme control over mechanical motion and its decoherence [1-4]. Quantum control of mechanical motion has been achieved by engineering the radiation pressure coupling between a micromechanical oscillator and the electromagnetic field in a resonator [5-8]. Furthermore, measurement-based feedback control relying on cavity-enhanced detection schemes has been used to cool micromechanical oscillators to their quantum ground states [9]. In contrast to mechanically tethered systems, optically levitated nanoparticles are particularly promising candidates for matter-wave experiments with massive objects [10,11], since their trapping potential is fully controllable. In this work, we optically levitate a femto-gram dielectric particle in cryogenic free space, which suppresses thermal effects sufficiently to make the measurement backaction the dominant decoherence mechanism. With an efficient quantum measurement, we exert quantum control over the dynamics of the particle. We cool its center-of-mass motion by measurement-based feedback to an average occupancy of 0.65 motional quanta, corresponding to a state purity of 43%. The absence of an optical resonator and its bandwidth limitations holds promise to transfer the full quantum control available for electromagnetic fields to a mechanical system. Together with the fact that the optical trapping potential is highly controllable, our experimental platform offers a route to investigating quantum mechanics at macroscopic scales [12,13].
Abstract Tests of quantum mechanics on a macroscopic scale require extreme control over mechanical motion and its decoherence1–3. Quantum control of mechanical motion has been achieved by engineering the radiation–pressure coupling between a micromechanical oscillator and the electromagnetic field in a resonator4–7. Furthermore, measurement-based feedback control relying on cavity-enhanced detection schemes has been used to cool micromechanical oscillators to their quantum ground states8. In contrast to mechanically tethered systems, optically levitated nanoparticles are particularly promising candidates for matter-wave experiments with massive objects9, 10, since their trapping potential is fully controllable. Here we optically levitate a femtogram (10−15 grams) dielectric particle in cryogenic free space, which suppresses thermal effects sufficiently to make the measurement backaction the dominant decoherence mechanism. With an efficient quantum measurement, we exert quantum control over the dynamics of the particle. We cool its centre-of-mass motion by measurement-based feedback to an average occupancy of 0.65 motional quanta, corresponding to a state purity of 0.43. The absence of an optical resonator and its bandwidth limitations holds promise to transfer the full quantum control available for electromagnetic fields to a mechanical system. Together with the fact that the optical trapping potential is highly controllable, our experimental platform offers a route to investigating quantum mechanics at macroscopic scales11.