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arXiv:2008.06245 · Physical Review Research

Testing dissipative collapse models with a levitated micromagnet

A. Vinante, Giulio Gasbarri, C. Timberlake, Marko Toroš, H. Ulbricht

Published Nov 13, 2020• 17 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

The authors summarize the dissipative extensions of spontaneous wavefunction collapse models and derive new exclusion limits on the parameters of different models from an experiment based on a micromagnet levitated by Meissner effect.
DOI
10.1103/physrevresearch.2.043229

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We present experimental tests of dissipative extensions of spontaneous wave function collapse models based on a levitated micromagnet with ultralow dissipation. The spherical micromagnet, with radius R = 27 µm, is levitated by Meissner effect in a lead trap at 4.2 K and its motion is detected by a SQUID. We perform accurate ringdown measurements on the vertical translational mode with frequency 57 Hz, and infer the residual damping at vanishing pressure γ/2π < 9 µHz. From this upper limit we derive improved bounds on the dissipative versions of the CSL (continuous spontaneous localization) and the DP (Di´osi-Penrose) models. In particular, dissipative models give rise to an intrinsic damping of an isolated system with the effect parameterized by a temperature constant – the dissipative CSL model with temperatures below 1 nK is ruled out, while the dissipative DP model is excluded for temperatures below 10−13 K. Furthermore, we present the first bounds on dissipative effects in a more recent model, which relates the wave function collapse to fluctuations of a generalized complex-valued spacetime metric.
Quantum mechanics is grounded on the superposition principle, which is the source both of its tremendous success and technological power, as well as of the problems in understanding it. The reason why superpositions do not propagate from the microscopic to the macroscopic world are subject to debate. Spontaneous wave function collapse models have been formulated to take into account a progressive breakdown of quantum superpositions when systems are large enough; they do so by modifying the Schrödinger dynamics, and therefore they are empirically testable. Deviations are tiny, and require precision measurements. I will review collapse models, and present the most recent experimental tests.
Nonlinearities in multimode mechanical systems can give rise to rich dynamical phenomena with great potential for sensing applications and for future quantum experiments. We demonstrate that the coupled center-of-mass and rotational motion of a Meissner-levitated micromagnet offer a promising platform for nonlinear dynamics, combining low dissipation, magnetic tunability, strong intrinsic Duffing nonlinearities, and nonlinear intermodal couplings. We use this tunability to demonstrate the generation of a mechanical frequency comb in the micromagnet dynamics, realized by parametric excitation of two translational modes followed by cascaded nonlinear frequency mixing, which produces a phononic comb with tunable spacing. At large amplitudes, nonlinear coupling to a low-frequency librational mode of the magnet leads to parametric excitation and phase locking of that mode, generating a dense spectral fine structure at subharmonics of the drive. These results establish levitated micromagnets as a platform for nonlinear multimode mechanics, with potential applications in precision sensing and quantum-limited metrology.
Die Entwicklung einer einheitlichen Theorie für Quantenmechanik und Gravitation ist derzeitig eines der größten Ziele der Physik. Ein hohes Hindernis, dass es dabei zu überwinden gibt, ist der Mangel an Experimenten - um experimentelle Daten in diesem Bereich zu gewinnen, ist es nötig, die Bewegungsfreiheitsgrade eines massiven Teilchens in einen Quantenzustand zu versetzen. Der aktuelle Stand der Technik ermöglicht es, das Gravitationsfeld von Milligramm-Massen zu messen und optisch levitierte Teilchen mit Femtogramm-Massen in einen Quantenzustand zu versetzen. Die magnetische Levitation von supraleitenden Teilchen in einem quasistatischen Feld kann nahezu dämpfungsfrei sein, und zwar selbst für massive Teilchen, deren Gravitationsfeld experimentell nachweisbar ist. Die Bewegung dieser Teilchen kann über das Magnetfeld beeinflusst und prinzipiell in einen Quantenzustand versetzt werden. In dieser Arbeit habe ich das Fundament für Experimente mit levitierenden Supraleitern gelegt. Ich habe das Verhalten von supraleitenden Teilchen in einem Magnetfeld sowohl analytisch als auch numerisch berechnet und, basierend auf den Ergebnissen, eine magnetische Falle für Supraleiter entworfen. Ich habe die Falle in einen Entmischkryostaten bei 15mK eingebaut und damit eine supraleitende Kugel mit einem Durchmesser von 100um levitiert. Ich konnte die Bewegung der Kugel mit einem supraleitenden Quanteninterferenzgerät auslesen und einen Gütefaktor von 2.6e7 nachweisen. Durch Echtzeitverarbeitung des gemessenen Signals und einer darauf basierenden Modifikation des Magnetfelds konnte ich die Bewegung des Teilchens in allen drei Dimensionen kontrollieren. Weiters habe ich noch ein neuartiges kryogenens Vibrationisolationssystem entworfen und eingebaut, sowie Magnetschilder zur Abschirmung vor externen Magnetfeldschwankungen. Eine detaillierte Analyse der Ergebnisse zeigt, dass es mit weiteren Verbesserungen möglich ist, das levitierte Teilchen in einen Quantenzustand zu versetzen. Dadurch hat dieses System das Potential, Quantenphysik mit massiven, makroskopischen Teilchen zu betreiben und Gravitationseffekte in diesem Bereich zu testen.
Quantum mechanics is grounded on the superposition principle, which is the source both of its tremendous success and technological power, as well as of the problems in understanding it. The reason why superpositions do not propagate from the microscopic to the macroscopic world are unclear. Spontaneous wave function collapse models have been formulated to take into account a progressive breakdown of quantum superpositions when systems are large enough; they do so by modifying the Schrödinger dynamics, and therefore they are empirically testable. Deviations are tiny, and require precision measurements. I will review the most recent tests of such models, spanning from optomechanical to underground experiments. I will conclude by presenting possible future experiments.